Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2004
172 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn the serious concern expressed by coroners at delays in inquests as a result of the inability of the State Laboratory to complete test results; the steps being taken to deal with this situation in view of the distress caused to families by such delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2504/04]
View answerI am conscious of the importance of the service provided to the coroners by the State Laboratory and the impact it inevitably has on relatives of people whose deaths are the subject of inquests at a time of great distress. I know the management of the laboratory share that sensitivity and constantly monitor the service by reviewing available resources, outsourcing possibilities and complexity of analyses.
Additional resources have been allocated to the toxicology section and there has been a substantial increase in the number of analyses completed. However, there is still a backlog of cases, due to an increase of 50% in the past two years in the number of cases referred, and a general increase in the complexity of the analyses required.
A range of measures are being taken at present to reduce the turnaround time of samples sent to the laboratory and processed by its toxicology section. Additional priority is to be given to the coroners' cases over other work of the section. Laboratory management are also reviewing the procedures and processes in the toxicology area with a view to automating as much as possible.
The possibilities of reducing the complexity of testing were discussed between the State Laboratory and the coroners and their representatives, as doing so would have an immediate impact on turnaround times. However, it was not considered possible to reduce the complexity of tests performed by the laboratory given the constant demand from families for comprehensive analysis, the increasing complexity of the cocktail of drugs potentially taken by victims which requires sequential analyses to be carried out and coroners' requirement for quality analytical data, which will withstand scrutiny in a court.
The State Laboratory is relocating to Backweston in the summer and it is expected that the new laboratory there will, when the move is completed, enhance the quality of service provided to all its clients including the coroners' service.
