Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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228. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of coroners who are registered medical doctors. [51476/17]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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229. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the instructions or advice provided to coroners in circumstances in which the coroner is not a medical doctor; and the person or body that provides advice for the management and conduct of a complex inquest. [51477/17]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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230. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the basis on which a decision is made for a non medical doctor to preside over a complex medical inquest in counties in which there is both a medical doctor registered as a coroner and a non medical doctor registered as coroner. [51478/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 to 230, inclusive, together.

At end November 2017, there were 35 coroners operating in 39 districts. Of these coroners, 17 were registered medical practitioners and 18 were either solicitors or barristers. 3 of the coroners hold both medical and legal qualifications.

Under the Coroners Act 1962, the coroner is an independent quasi-judicial official exercising exclusive jurisdiction in their respective districts. Currently, there is one coroner assigned to each district and such coroner, or a deputy coroner in the absence of the coroner, will conduct any inquest that arises into a death of a deceased person.

No instructions or advice on the conduct of any inquest are given to a coroner by any person or body. To do so would be entirely improper.

The coroner may seek the evidence of any person he or she considers necessary for the proper conduct of the inquest. The powers of the coroner to compel evidence will be enhanced in the forthcoming Coroners (Amendment) Bill which is being urgently drafted by the Office of the Attorney General.

It is also the case that a coroner may engage such expert witnesses or obtain such advice as he or she considers necessary for the proper conduct of the inquest.