Written answers

Wednesday, 18 October 2017

Department of Justice and Equality

State Pathology Service

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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120. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 116 of 4 October 2017, if officials in the Office of the State Pathologist are not accountable to his Department; and if the chief State pathologist is equally not accountable to him or his Department. [44104/17]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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All bodies which operate under the aegis of my Department agree governance and accountability arrangements with the Department, including written governance agreements, in line with the requirements of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodiesand in accordance with the Department’s Corporate Governance Framework.  Such arrangements help to ensure that appropriate corporate governance is in place in State bodies and that the citizen receives good value in the expenditure of public funds.  However, such arrangements do not impinge on the operational independence of bodies such as the Office of the State Pathologist.  As I stated in my response to the Deputy's question of 4 October, 2017, the Office of the State Pathologist is independent in the operation of its functions, which is entirely right and proper in light of the very important role it plays in the investigation and prosecution of serious crimes.

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