Coroners claim unnecessary delays are affecting inquests

Coroners are having difficulty providing a "caring and efficient" service to bereaved families because of a lack of adequate support services, the Coroners' Society of Ireland has warned.

Dr Denis Cusack, coroner for Co Kildare and the society's information officer, said inquests were being delayed unnecessarily due to problems in getting test results back from State laboratories.

Last week he had to adjourn six of nine inquests in Naas because of test result delays or the unavailability of the State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison.

He said he was not criticising laboratory staff or the State pathologists, but "we can't function if they are not adequately resourced".

He said concern was expressed at a society meeting last weekend that the Government had failed to implement the key recommendations of last December's Review of the Coroner Service.

The recommendations include providing a public information pamphlet on the coroner system; setting up a coroners' rules committee, and investigating delays in the State Laboratory Service, covering areas such as funding, staff and equipment.

"All of these were called `immediate' steps," said Dr Cusack. Not a single one had taken place yet despite the fact that very little money was involved. "We'd urge the Minister for Justice to implement these recommendations as soon as possible.

"The situation is frustrating for us as professionals, but it's worse for the people who we see going through what is a very tragic time. Until they get their death certificates they can't sort out wills, estates and assurance policies and also can't grieve properly. If the inquest is hanging over you for six or nine months, it's very hard."

A spokesman for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform said legislation was needed to implement many of the recommendations and this was currently being drafted. On the question of additional resources, he said this would be considered in the drafting of estimates for the next Budget.

Each year, about 7,500 deaths are reported to the Coroner Service and an estimated 4,500 post-mortems and 2,000 inquests take place.