S.I. No. 151/1996:

CORONERS ACT, 1962 (FEES AND EXPENSES) REGULATIONS, 1996.

CORONERS ACT, 1962 (FEES AND EXPENSES) REGULATIONS, 1996.

I, Nora Owen, Minister for Justice, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 3 (1), 29 and 57 of the Coroners Act, 1962 (No. 9 of 1962), and the Local Government (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order, 1977 ( S.I. No. 269 of 1977 ), and after, in relation to the fees and expenses to be prescribed under section 57 of that Act, consultation with the Minister for the Environment, hereby make the following Regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Coroners Act, 1962 (Fees and Expenses) Regulations, 1996.

2. In these Regulations "the Act" means the Coroners Act, 1962 (No. 9 of 1962).

3. The fee to be paid to a coroner who holds an inquest by virtue of section 20 of the Act or to a coroner, other than the coroner who would ordinarily hold the inquest, who holds an inquest by virtue of section 24 of the Act shall be £23. 95.

4. The fee chargeable by a coroner or a county registrar for furnishing a copy of any document to an applicant under section 29 of the Act shall be --

(a) in the case of a coroner, £4. 00 for each document furnished under subsection (3) of the said section 29,

(b) in the case of a county registrar, £4.00 for each document furnished under subsection (4) of the said section 29.

5. The fees and expenses to be prescribed under section 57 of the Act in respect of post-mortem and special examinations, the attendance of witnesses at inquests and the removal or custody of a body shall be those specified in the Schedule to these Regulations.

6. The Coroners Act, 1962 (Fees and Expenses) Regulations, 1990 ( S.I. No. 19 of 1990 ), are hereby revoked.

7. These Regulations shall be deemed to have come into operation on the 1st day of January, 1995.

Regulations 5

SCHEDULE

FEES

1. The fees payable to a person for performing or assisting at post-mortem examinations and special examinations shall be:

(a) for performing a full post-mortem examination under section 19 (1) or 33 (1) of the Act:

(i) where the person has to travel less than fifteen miles to make the examination - £66. 00.

(ii) where the person has to travel not less than fifteen miles to make the examination - £96. 00.

(b) for performing a post-mortem examination under section 19 (1) or 33 (1) consisting of an external examination only:

(i) where the person has to travel less than fifteen miles to make the examination - £24. 00.

(ii) where the person has to travel not less than fifteen miles to make the examination - £96. 00.

(c) for performing a post-mortem examination arranged under section 33 (2) of the Act (not being on a body that has been exhumed) - £168.83.

(d) for performing a post-mortem examination arranged under section 33 (2) of the Act on a body that has been exhumed - £252.93.

(e) for assisting at a post-mortem examination -

(f) for performing a special examination arranged under section 33 (2) of the Act, for each hour or part of an hour taken to conduct the examination - £13.10

(g) Where in the course of a post mortem examination arranged under sections 19(1) or 33(1) of the Act it is found necessary, in order to establish a cause of death, to perform a histological examination, for each hour or part of an hour taken to conduct the examination - £13.10.

2. The fees payable to a person for attendance at an inquest to which a post-mortem examination conducted by the person relates shall, where the inquest is held on a day other than a day of the examination, be

(a) where the inquest is held within 20 miles from the person's home --

(c) where the inquest is held 20 miles or more from the person's home

3. The fees payable to a person for attendance at an inquest to which a post-mortem examination conducted by the person relates shall, where the inquest is held on the day of the examination, be:

(a) where the inquest is held within 20 miles from the person's home- £35.50

(b) where the inquest is held 20 miles or more from the person's home- £53.25.

4. The fees payable to a registered medical practitioner (other than a person to whom paragraph 2 or 3 of this Schedule applies) for attendance at an inquest in a professional capacity shall be,

(a) where the person is absent from home for --

(i) not more than two hours, £23.45

(ii) more than two hours but not more than three hours, £32.82

(iii) more than three hours but not more than four hours, £46.84

(iv) more than four hours but not more than five hours, £61.26

(v) more than five hours, £72.63

(b) where the person attends more than one inquest on the same day, in respect of each additional inquest attended, £18.78

EXPENSES

5. The expenses payable to a registered medical practitioner (other than a person appointed under section 33(2) of the Act) for attendance at an inquest in a professional capacity or to perform a post-mortem examination (except where there is an inquest and it is held on the same day as the examination) shall be an amount equal to a subsistence allowance at the highest rate applying to a person holding a position in the Civil Service of the State, and first class rail fare where travel by rail is suitable, or the appropriate mileage rate applying to a person holding a position in the Civil Service of the State.

6. The expenses payable to a person who conducts a post-mortem examination arranged under section 33 (2) of the Act for attendance for the examination (and also for attendance at the inquest if there is one and it is held on a day other than that on which the examination was conducted) shall be an amount equal to subsistence and travelling expenses at the highest rate applying to a person holding a position in the Civil Service of the State.

7. The expenses payable to a witness at an inquest (other than a registered medical practitioner attending in a professional capacity) shall be:

(a) allowance for loss of time:

allowance payable in respect of self-employed persons where the period of necessary absence from employment, business or home is four hours or more, £38.40

half such allowance is payable where the period of necessary absence is less than four hours.

no allowance is payable to school children.

actual loss of wages or salary on production of a certificate from the employer as to the witness's wages or salary and the actual sum the witness has permanently lost by reason of attendance,

allowance payable in respect of persons who do not earn an income where the period of necessary absence from home is four hours or more, £15.36

half such allowance is payable where the period of necessary absence is less than four hours,

(b) subsistence allowance:

(i) where the attendance involves an overnight stay:

or,

(ii) where the attendance does not involve an overnight stay: day allowance,

(c) travelling expenses --

(i) where public transport is used, second class rail or bus fare,

(ii) own motor car, £0.26p per mile,

(iii) motor cycle, £0.15p per mile

(iv) where a hired car is used, all reasonable expenses;

provided that hired cars may be used only where public transport is not available or where such transport is not reasonably practicable.

8. The expenses payable in connection with the removal or custody of a body shall be those which, in the opinion of the appropriate local authority, are necessarily and reasonably incurred in such removal or custody in accordance with the direction of a coroner.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 24th day of May, 1996.

NORA OWEN,

Minister for Justice

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These Regulations prescribe various fees and expenses for the purposes of the Coroners Act, 1962 , viz., the fee to be paid to a coroner who holds an inquest outside his own district: the fee chargeable by the coroner or a county registrar for furnishing copies of inquest documents and the fees and expenses payable in respect of post-mortem and special examinations, the attendance of witnesses at inquests and the removal or custody of a body.

These Regulations replace the Coroners Act, 1962 (Fees and Expenses) Regulations, 1990 ( S.I. No. 19 of 1990 ).