merrion street

• Act will significantly strengthen and modernise powers of coroners

• Act clarifies and broadens the scope of enquiries at inquest

• Significant modernisation of the 1962 Act will reassure the next of kin of deceased persons

• This final commencement will increase capacity for Dublin Coroner Office

The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan, T.D., announced today the full and final commencement of the Coroners (Amendment) Act 2019. This Act amends the existing Principal Act (the Coroners Act 1962) to significantly enhance and modernise the powers available to coroners in the reporting, investigation and inquest into an increased range of reportable deaths. The Minister said:

I am very pleased to be able to fully commence the Coroners (Amendment) Act 2019. Essentially, this involves the commencement of the outstanding provision of the Act to improve the capacity of the Dublin Coroner Office which will now be able to conduct more inquiries into deaths.

The Coroners (Amendment) Act (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2020, S.I. No. 51 of 2020, concerns Section 8, which permits the Deputy Coroner to act simultaneously with the Coroner for a period of 2 years. It will improve the capacity of the Dublin Coroner’s Office to increase the numbers of inquiries into deaths under the Act and help reduce the backlog of inquests awaiting hearing. As a consequence of the commencement, the Minister has designated the Dublin Coroner, Dr. Myra Cullinane, as the Senior Coroner.