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Coroners Service

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 December 2013

Thursday, 19 December 2013

Questions (244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249)

Heather Humphreys

Question:

244. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the person who appointed the acting coroners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54848/13]

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Heather Humphreys

Question:

245. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the term of office of each coroner and acting coroner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54849/13]

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Heather Humphreys

Question:

246. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the person who remunerates coroners and the current scale of salary for each coroner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54850/13]

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Heather Humphreys

Question:

247. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the fees and expenses payable to coroners over and above their normal salaries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54851/13]

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Heather Humphreys

Question:

248. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the total payments made to coroners in each district in the five calendar years to 31 December 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54852/13]

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Heather Humphreys

Question:

249. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the breakdown or make-up of the fees and expenses paid to each coroner in the five calendar years to 31 December 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54853/13]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 to 249, inclusive, together.

The Coroners Act 1962, as amended, makes provision for matters relating to coroners. There are currently 41 coroners who service 47 coroner jurisdictions. Some coroners cover two jurisdictions, normally within a county. Section 8 of the 1962 Act states that the coroner for a coroner's district shall be appointed by the local authority in whose area the district is situated. I understand that there are currently 16 coroners in the State who were appointed through the Local Appointments Commission process referred to in the 1962 Act. In addition, 25 coroners are engaged on an acting basis. Such coroners meet the critical current criteria for all coroners, that of being a lawyer or a doctor of more than five years professional experience.

This situation in regard to acting coroners has been in place since the Report of the Coroners Review Group in 2000 as a preliminary policy approach to the reform of the coroner system. The Coroners Bill 2007 which is before the Seanad, having been restored to the Order Paper, provides for a comprehensive reform of the law, practice and structures in regard to the coroner service. The Bill envisaged a move towards having full time coroners as opposed to the current part time model. The Bill is in the course of being reviewed in my Department and in that context all governance and administrative matters in relation to coroners will be examined to determine how reform can be achieved in a cost effective manner.

The 1962 Act, in section 13(1), provides that each coroner shall appoint a deputy coroner. Such deputy coroner appointments must be approved by the relevant local authority and, following a statutory amendment in 2011, by the Minister for Justice and Equality. Under section 13(4)(a) of the Act a person appointed a deputy coroner may act for the coroner during the illness or absence of the coroner or where, for example, the office of coroner is vacant. A deputy coroner acting as coroner has all the duties and powers of a coroner. In addition a person who is appointed a deputy coroner must fulfil the requirements for appointment as a coroner. In accordance with section 11, the term of office of a coroner comes to an end when the person reaches seventy years of age. Section 13(2) also states that a coroner may at any time revoke the appointment of a deputy coroner made by them but such revocations do not have effect until a new deputy coroner has been appointed.

With regard to financial payments to coroners, the position is that such payments are made by local authorities. In this context the remuneration for a coroner is made up of a basic retainer, which is intended to cover, for example, on-call duty and office expenses, and a fee per case which is paid in relation to work carried out on the following basis:

- Death reported: €129.68;

- Death certified following post mortem: €188.54; and

- Death certified following post mortem and inquest: €522.97.

The following table shows the retainers payable in respect of each coronial district. With regard to the more detailed financial information the Deputy has sought, over a five-year period, the position is that the relevant material is being compiled and I will send it to her as quickly as possible.

CORONIAL JURISDICTION

AMOUNT

CARLOW

€17,932.00

CAVAN

€17,932.00

CLARE

€21,774.00

CORK CITY

€44,152.00

CORK SOUTH

€21,774.00

CORK NORTH

€17,932.00

CORK WEST

€21,774.00

DONEGAL SOUTH WEST

€12,807.00

DONEGAL NORTH EAST

€12,807.00

DONEGAL NORTH WEST

€17,932.00

DONEGAL SOUTH EAST

€12,807.00

DUBLIN

€27,595.00

GALWAY NORTH

€12,807.00

GALWAY WEST

€21,774.00

GALWAY EAST

€21,774.00

KERRY NORTH

€12,807.00

KERRY SOUTH EAST

€17,932.00

KERRY WEST

€17,932.00

KILDARE

€21,774.00

KILKENNY

€21,774.00

LEITRIM

€12,807.00

LAOIS

€17,932.00

LIMERICK SOUTH EAST

€21,774.00

LIMERICK WEST

€12,807.00

LIMERICK CITY

€12,807.00

LONGFORD

€12,807.00

LOUTH

€21,774.00

MAYO EAST

€12,807.00

MAYO SOUTH

€21,774.00

MAYO NORTH

€12,807.00

MEATH

€21,774.00

MONAGHAN NORTH

€12,807.00

MONAGHAN SOUTH

€12,807.00

OFFALY

€21,774.00

ROSCOMMON

€17,932.00

SLIGO

€21,774.00

TIPPERARY NORTH

€21,774.00

TIPPERARY SOUTH

€17,932.00

WATERFORD EAST

€12,807.00

WATERFORD WEST

€12,807.00

WATERFORD CITY

€17,932.00

WESTMEATH

€17,932.00

WEXFORD

€21,774.00

WICKLOW WEST

€12,807.00

WICKLOW EAST

€17,932.00

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