THE Minister for Justice ruled out appointing a deputy State Pathologist for the southern region.

Mrs Owen was responding on the adjournment, to the Fianna Fail spokesman on justice, Mr John O'Donoghue, and Mr Batt O'Keeffe (FF Cork South Central), who referred to the delays in post mortem examinations being carried out on the bodies of murder victims in west Cork, and Tralee.

The Minister said the case being made was to divide the State between the State Pathologist and the new deputy State Pathologist. She added that the State pathology service had carried out 100 post mortem examinations last year, and almost half of them were in the Dublin region, while the rest were spread fairly evenly throughout the State.

"So any county could have a call on this job. Given the geographical spread of the work, I consider that both pathologists must be prepared to carry out post mortem examinations anywhere in the 26 counties, as it is not possible to predict where their services will be required.

"For this reason the post has been advertised as being based in Dublin, with a countrywide commitment. This, of course, does not preclude the successful applicant from living anywhere outside of Dublin provided they are committed to a countrywide service."