Vol. 562 No. 4
393 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the medical or scientific evidence on which the Garda based its conclusion that the injuries on the body of a person (details supplied) who was found dead at Cahirciveen on 30 October 2001 were the result of a fall within the precincts of this person's home. [6308/03]
394 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason for inconsistencies between the reports of the Garda and the State pathologist on the death of a person (details supplied) at Cahirciveen on 30 October 2001. [6309/03]
395 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the State Pathologist's report on the death of a person (details supplied) at Cahirciveen on 30 October 2001 record that this person's injuries and marks on his body were consistent with this person having fallen within the precincts of his home. [6310/03]
399 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the nature of the formal briefing which the Cahirciveen Garda gave to the State pathologist which led to his initial mistaken report on the death of a person (details supplied) on 30 October 2001. [6378/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 393, 394, 395 and 399 together.
As I informed the Deputy in my reply to Questions Nos. 431 and 438 on Tuesday, 25 February 2003, the circumstances in which this person died were investigated by the Garda Síochána and the State pathologist. All statements relating to this investigation were forwarded to the coroner. At the subsequent hearing, at which 34 witnesses gave evidence, the jury returned a unanimous open verdict stating that the person in question died on 30 October 2001. In accordance with the provisions of the Coroners Act 1962 a coroner is a statutory officer exercising judicial, or quasi-judicial, functions, in relation to which he or she is independent. It would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the conduct of, or the verdict in, this case.
