Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

157. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to outline, given that the recent Coroners (Amendment) Act 2024 designated coroners in Dublin as civil servants, the grade coroners will be designated as or what is the equivalent grade; if they are designated outside the usual grades; the annual pay and pension conditions for these civil servants; if the current coroners in Dublin are civil servants; if not, when the coroners in Dublin will be designated as civil servants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6777/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A coroner is an independent office holder who performs a public service by making inquiries into reported deaths. Responsibility for the provision of financial and administrative supports to the Dublin District Coroner’s office was transferred from Dublin City Council to the Department of Justice in 2018. Outside Dublin, the relevant local authority funds the costs of all other coronial districts.The purpose of the Coroners (Amendment) Act 2024 was to ensure continuity of coroner services in the Dublin district by providing for the temporary appointment of an appropriate number of coroners to the Dublin district. Three coroners were appointed to the Dublin district in February of last year, on a temporary basis, for a twelve month period and the Senior Coroner's temporary assignment to the Dublin district was also extended for the same period.

In December 2024, the then Minister confirmed the renewal of the three temporary coroner appointments, subject to their consent, and the continuation of the Senior Coroner’s appointment for a further period of up to twelve months, with effect from 21 February 2025.

Section 2 of the Coroners (Amendment) Act 2024 also introduced provisions for the appointment of full time, fixed-term coroners to the Dublin District. Section 6A(6B) of the Coroners Act 1962, as amended, allows for the appointment of a coroner as a civil servant of the State. Under section 6A(6A) of the Act, consent for any such appointment is required from the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and discussions are ongoing in this regard.

In October 2024, the Government approved the drafting of a General Scheme of a Bill to significantly reform the Coroner Service to increase efficiencies and minimise the impact of the death investigation process on bereaved people. Officials in my Department are currently developing Heads of this Bill which I intend to bring to Government for consideration in late 2025.