About

The Coroner is an official charged with the legal responsibility for investigating sudden, unexplained and unnatural deaths in his or her district. Coroners in the District of Dublin are appointed by the Minister of Justice.

A Coroner is independent in his or her function. The Coroner acts on behalf of the State in the public interest. Although the office has important medical functions, it is a legal office.

The public policy underlining a Coroner’s inquest into deaths was identified in November, 1999 by the Irish Supreme Court in the case of Dublin City Coroner v The Attorney General. In its judgement the Supreme Court said that few would dispute the need to have a public inquiry by a person with appropriate legal or medical qualifications into the death of a person as a result of violence or in circumstances that render such an investigation appropriate.

In the case, the Supreme Court also enunciated a number of public interest duties of the Coroner:

• to determine the medical cause of death;
• to allay rumour or suspicion;
• to draw attention to the existence of circumstances which, if un-remedied, might lead to further deaths;
• to advance medical knowledge;
• to preserve the legal interests of the deceased person’s family, heirs or other interested parties.

Dublin District Coroners Staff

The current staff level for the Coroner’s Court and City Mortuary is 31 (2020).

4 Coroners, 5 Court Registrars, 16 Administrative Staff  & 4 Mortuary Staff

The Court staff are also trained in the use of the JAM card system.