Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The coroners service comprises of a network of coroners located in districts throughout the country. All coronial districts, with the exception of Dublin, are the responsibility of the relevant Local Authority. Coroners are independent quasi-judicial office holders whose core function is to investigate sudden and unexplained deaths so that a death certificate can be issued. My Department does not have a role in directing the work of coroners nor do I have any function in the conduct of coronial business.

My Department does not have any function in relation to the provision of administrative supports or the recruitment of staff for Coroners outside of Dublin.

My Department has direct responsibility for providing financial and administrative supports to the Dublin District Coroner’s Office since 1st January 2018. My Department has significantly increased the administrative supports to the Dublin District Coroner’s Office (DDCO) during 2023. There are now more Coroners (4 in total) and more support staff working in the Dublin District Coroner’s Office than at any time in the past. Additional staff are in the process of being recruited for the Dublin District Mortuary facility, with a key post due to be filled early in the New Year, alongside further recruitment campaigns.

Three additional Temporary Coroners have been appointed to facilitate the growing workload of the District whilst the Senior Coroner holds the inquests in to the Stardust Fire deaths. Two additional Coroner’s Courts (in addition to the Store Street Coroner’s Court) in the Richmond Education Centre are in operation and, when combined with the additional administrative staff assigned to the DDCO in 2023, has increased the capacity of the DDCO to hold inquests. Furthermore, a DDCO modernisation programme commenced earlier in 2023, which has identified a series of process improvements that will improve the service provided to bereaved families. A dedicated modernisation team will be established early in the New Year to ensure the recommendations get implemented in a timely manner.

On 20 October 2023, I launched a wide-ranging consultation to inform the development of proposals for comprehensive reform of the Coroner Service in Ireland. The consultation is an opportunity for members of the public and stakeholder groups to express their views, observations and proposals on how the Coroner Service might be enhanced into the future.

The public consultation will be open until the 19 January 2024. Following its conclusion, it is intended that proposals on a renewed Coroner system, including a proposed plan as to how this will be achieved, will be brought to Government.

Further information on the public consultation, along with the two associated questionnaires, can be accessed at www.gov.ie/en/consultation/473f5-Coroner-reform-consultation/.