Coroners reporting suicides

A CALL has been made for the Minister for Justice to establish standard operational procedures for coroners on the reporting of suicides.

Derek Keating (FG, Dublin Mid-West) asked Alan Shatter to introduce a directive on the issue so that “there would not be different standards of reporting in different counties”.

There was “no consistency among coroners when it comes to reporting deaths by suicide”. He asked if the Minister was aware that the coroner in Co Roscommon would not report such deaths.

Mr Shatter said because of the independence of coroners “it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the approach taken by an individual coroner”. Mr Shatter also said that he was “mindful that coroners bear a heavy duty in reaching the verdict of suicide” but they had to be sure as to the cause of death.

The duty of a coroner “is to accurately record the cause of death and it is crucially important that he or she do so”, the Minister added.

Mr Shatter said the 2007 Coroners’ Bill was being amended while further reforms would be brought forward.