THE State's 49 coroners have served strike notice on the Department of Justice from Friday in pursuit of substantial improvements in their terms and conditions of employment. Among the changes they are seeking is indemnification against judicial decisions against them.
The annual general meeting of the Coroners' Association, held last Wednesday, agreed to send a letter to the Minister for Justice raising a number of long standing grievances. "But the straw that broke the camel's back was the indemnity situation," one coroner said.
The issue that has provoked the unlikely industrial militancy, which could halt all inquests from the end of this week, dates back, to 1994, when a Donegal coroner refused to read out in court a suicide note left by a man who droves into the sea with his small son although the family demanded that he do so.
The deputy coroner, Dr John Glynn, said that to allow the letter to be, read out in court would be entering into the area of civil or criminal negligence. Earlier this year a judicial review was held of his decision. The court found against him, and found he was personally liable for costs.
doctors or lawyers, are paid one average £2,300 a year. Their work is part time, although some work almost full time.
