Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
382. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment what action will be taken to recruit more staff into the Health Safety Authority, particularly in light of the fact that the coronial service, and families affected, have been experiencing significant delays in cases being listed for inquest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36160/23]
View answerThe core function of the Coroner Service is to investigate sudden and unexplained deaths so that a death certificate can be issued. The Minister for Justice is responsible for the legislation that governs the role and responsibilities of coroners.
I have no role in relation to the Coroner Service or the delivery of its functions.
The Health and Safety Authority, which operates under the remit of my Department, is a regulatory body which carries out investigations into workplace fatalities. It carries out these investigations independently of myself and my Department.
In the case of a sudden death, such as one resulting from a workplace incident, a coroner is required to hold an inquest. An inquest is an inquiry by a coroner into the circumstances surrounding a death and is entirely separate to any investigation undertaken by the Health and Safety Authority. The purpose of the inquest is to establish and record when, where, and how the death occurred. In circumstances where the Health and Safety Authority has an on-going investigation, it will request the coroner to adjourn the inquest until its investigation or any prosecution is completed. While delaying an inquest can be distressing for family members, it is necessary to ensure the integrity of any investigative or legal process underway.
Separately, in relation to the staffing of the Health and Safety Authority, I would point out that following the allocation of additional funding for the Health and Safety Authority in recent years the overall number of sanctioned positions now stands at 317 across both administrative, professional and technical grades of which there are 253 in position with additional recruitment expected later this year.
