Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1542. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if the inquest jury in the case of a person (details supplied) was empanelled by An Garda Síochána; the actions that are being taken to ensure that members of the gardaí were investigated or were involved in some capacity in the events surrounding deaths are not empanelled on the inquest jury. [40140/22]
View answer1552. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if the inquest jury in the case of a person (details supplied) was empanelled by An Garda Síochána; and the actions that have been taken to ensure that in cases in which members of An Garda Síochána were investigated or were involved in some capacity in the events surrounding deaths that they play no role in the empanelment process for inquest juries. [40263/22]
View answer1553. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of inquest juries that GSOC members have empanelled; and if they always use random selection from the electoral register to do this. [40264/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1542, 1552 and 1553 together.
Coroners are independent, quasi-judicial office holders whose core function is to investigate sudden and unexplained deaths so that a death certificate can be issued. The exercise of these statutory powers by a Coroner during an inquest is entirely a matter for the relevant Coroner. My Department does not have a role in directing the work of coroners or in individual death investigation cases. Furthermore, no statistics are maintained by my Department on how inquest juries are assembled.
A Coroner has a general power to hold an inquest with or without a jury; this power is subject to section 40 of the Coroners Act 1962 (“the Act”) as amended, which sets out certain circumstances whereby a jury at an inquest is mandatory.
Section 43 provides for both An Garda Síochána and, since the coming into effect of the Coroners (Amendment) Act 2019, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission on the request of the coroner to assemble the inquest jury.
In order to be of assistance, I have had enquires made and am informed by the Coroner Service that the inquest referred to by the Deputy, which concluded on 13th July 2007, was assembled by An Garda Síochána.
