Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 January 2014
538. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the operations of county morgues and county coroners' expenses still have to go through the local authority and be accounted by the local authorities; and his plans to make changes to the current set-up. [1237/14]
View answerI understand that with the exception of Dublin, where specific arrangements apply, local authorities are not involved in the provision of funding for morgue facilities. With regard to financial payments to coroners, the position is that such payments are made by local authorities.
As the Deputy will be aware, 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.
