Topical Issues Debate – 5 December 2013 Opening Remarks by Minister of State Kathleen Lynch, TD for Alan Shatter TD, Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence The need to ensure an appropriate pathology service at weekends to deal with post mortem examinations where necessary- Deputy Charles Flanagan Ceann Comhairle
I would like to thank Deputy Flanagan for raising this issue. Minister Shatter is unable to take the matter as he is attending a meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels today.
As the Deputy will be aware, Dr Khalid Jaber has recently tendered his resignation from the post of Deputy State Pathologist. Dr Jaber's resignation has been accepted with immediate effect and he has been notified accordingly.
Minister Shatter fully appreciates that a number of issues arise at an operational level in relation to the departure of Dr Jaber. This is quite clearly the case because the functions undertaken by the Office of the State Pathologist are very important and they can only be carried out by highly qualified and experienced medical personnel.
Following the resignation of Dr Jaber the primary service operated by the State Pathology Office is being provided by the State Pathologist, Professor Marie Cassidy and the Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Michael Curtis. This service is supplemented, as required, by Dr Margot Bolster, Assistant State Pathologist.
In the overall context it is of course a matter for the State Pathologist to determine how her Office operates and in that regard Minister Shatter understands she is in the process of putting the necessary operational arrangements in place to take account of the resignation of Dr Jaber.
In raising his topical interest matter the Deputy has referred specifically to the service provided by the Office of the State Pathologist at weekends. This operates on an on-call basis and it is designed to ensure that urgent requirements can be met.
With particular reference to the situation the Deputy has mentioned, Minister Shatter has been informed by the State Pathologist that she has arranged for Dr Bolster to assume on-call call duties which would previously have fallen to be undertaken by Dr Jaber.
Minister Shatter has also requested me to assure the Deputy, and the members of this House, that the question of finding a replacement for Dr Jaber is being pursued very actively by his Department. In this connection the filling of the vacancy has been approved by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Obviously, it will be necessary to have a high-level competition to secure a suitable replacement for Dr Jaber and this will be arranged in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service.
Minister Shatter is also pleased that the provision of new accommodation for the State Pathologist's Office at the former Whitehall Garda Station is proceeding as a shared location project with the Dublin Coroner. The current position is that the relevant architectural drawings are being finalised for the refurbishment of the building, with the necessary work to be undertaken and completed in 2014.
Before concluding I would like to state it is Minister Shatter’s view that a professional and comprehensive pathology service will continue to be delivered by the Office of the State Pathologist and in that regard he has said that he has full confidence in the State Pathologist Professor Cassidy and her staff.