Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2026
156. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on the provision of post-mortem services at Waterford University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4903/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI appreciate the very valid concerns raised by the Deputy and others regarding the post-mortem service at Waterford University Hospital. This service is of vital importance to the people of the region, and in particular to bereaved families at a difficult time in their lives. My Department has put in place a temporary arrangement to ensure continuity of service and is working to secure a long term solution to the provision of this service nationally.
For context I would note that Coroners are independent office holders, and my Department has no role in directing their work during their investigation of any death. Neither does my Department have any role in relation to the work of pathologists who, as clinicians, undertake postmortem examinations on the direction of a coroner.
Policy and operational responsibilities for the provision of postmortem examination services to support the work of the Coroner Service are supported by several departments and agencies. My Department is responsible for the legislation underpinning the work of coroners, while the provision of the postmortem examination service is largely provided through the health service and its personnel. Pathologists, other than forensic pathologists in the Office of the State Pathologist, are not contracted to either my Department, or to coroners.
Where a postmortem examination is deemed to be required, the coroner will arrange for it to be conducted as expeditiously as possible in order to ensure the timely release of remains to the next of kin of the deceased.
Securing the provision of the postmortem examination service for the coronial death investigation function is challenging and I have been engaging with the Minister for Health to address this. There are issues arising within the pathology profession generally, including relating to training and recruitment, as well as competing demands on pathologists in areas of diagnostic and research work. I acknowledge those concerns.
With this in mind, in 2022, my Department established a ‘Standing Committee on the Provision of Coroner Directed postmortem examination services', membership of which is drawn from my Department, other relevant Government Departments, including the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive, the Office of the State Pathologist, An Garda Síochána, the Coroners Society of Ireland, and the Faculty of Pathology, Royal College of Physicians Ireland.
Difficulties in providing this service specifically in the Waterford area arose in the past year, where following engagement with officials from my Department and health service management, pathologists employed at University Hospital Waterford advised that they were not available to carry out postmortem examinations. On foot of this, my Department took the exceptional step of engaging with a number of firms to supply locums to provide the autopsy service in UHW and finalised an interim approach on this basis. Provision of this service commenced on 2 January.
This approach is an unfortunate necessity to minimise any impact on bereaved family members who are engaging with the Coroner Service. However, a long-term sustainable solution is nevertheless required, whereby locum pathologists are not relied upon to provide the autopsy service, and instead this important service to the community is provided from within the pathology profession in Ireland generally. I will continue to work with the Minister for Health and all relevant parties to achieve this.
