Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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124. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 141 of 20 May 2024, the position regarding the ongoing review of the coroner’s service; the terms of reference for this review; if individual county services will be assessed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27418/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the coroners service comprises the 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. Neither I, as Minister, nor my Department has any function in the conduct of coronial business.

On 20 October 2023, I launched a wide-ranging public consultation exercise to inform the development of proposals for comprehensive reform of the Coroner Service in Ireland, which closed on 19 January 2024.

The consultation provided an opportunity for members of the public, stakeholder groups and members of the Oireachtas to express their views,observations and to provide proposals on how the Coroner Service might be enhanced into the future.

I am pleased to say that there was a very high level of public engagement in the consultation process with approximately 250 submissions received across both surveys. Departmental officials are currently analysing the information gathered during the consultation process with a view to publishing a report on the main themes coming through from the Consultation in the third quarter of 2024 and putting forward proposals for the reform of the service thereafter.