New Bill to reform coroner service

A Bill to amend the Coroners Act and pave the way for a "comprehensive reform" of the coroner service will be brought forward to the Dáil in the new year, the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, has said.

The Bill would address "urgent issues" affecting the work of the Coroner's Court, including the refusal of witnesses to attend inquests, the Department said.

The contents of the Bill will take into account the report of the Coroners' Rules Committee, published yesterday, and recommendations from a report this year in Britain following the murder convictions of serial killer Dr Harold Shipman. This report recommended changes in the system of death certification and coroners' investigations

In his discussions with the Coroners' Society, Mr McDowell said "critical issues" had been identified. These included the ending of the restriction on the number of medical and other witnesses at inquest, increased sanctions for those who might refuse to co- operate at an inquest and a more coherent restatement of the scope of the provisions for mandatory inquests to include all deaths-in-custody situations.

Mr McDowell said he welcomed yesterday's report, which would form part of the statutory measures to ensure "Ireland has a high-quality, modern and efficient coroner service".

The Rules Committee, which included representatives from the Coroners' Society of Ireland, the faculty of pathology of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, the Attorney General's Office, the Garda and the Samaritans, was established to standardise the rules governing the Coroner's Court.