The case highlighted in media by Galway West TD Sean Kyne last week concerning the holding of an inquest without informing the next of kin did not occur in Galway, but elsewhere in the country.
Dep Sean Kyne has clarified that the case involved a constituent of his in Galway West, but that the coronors office involved was not the Galway office but one elsewhere in the country.
He said that the case concerning the holding of an inquest without informing the next of kin which he referred to in my contribution to the Dáil debate on the new Coroner’s Bill did not occur in Galway.
“The person affected is a constituent of mine in Galway West. They were not notified of the holding of an inquest into their mother’s death. Out of respect for the privacy of that person and their family I did not mention specific details such as names or locations.
“Unfortunately some have interpreted that this incident occurred in Galway which is not the case. Therefore neither Gardai in Galway nor the Coroner in Galway were involved in any way in this case.
“The wider issues including that all next of kin be notified of the holding of inquests into deaths of relations and making inquests into all cases of maternity-related deaths mandatory are important ones which should be enacted through legislation. I look forward to the progress of the legislation in the New Year,” he confirmed.
