Staffing deficit hit pathologist services last year
The Office of the State Pathologist (OSP) dealt with 311 cases last year – a fall from 394 in the previous year.
Of this figure, 189 were State cases – post-mortem examination (PMEs) in criminal, suspicious or unusual deaths.
The OSP says that only 6% of State cases involved a visit to the scene of death, due to advanced technologies used by crime-scene investigators.
Writing in the report, Chief State Pathologist Linda Mulligan said that several factors affected the availability of pathologists at times throughout 2025.
These included:
- A still-vacant State pathologist post,
- Increased clustering of cases,
- Inquest and criminal court attendances,
- Reduced availability of mortuaries and associated staff, and
- Increased travel to cases outside Dublin.
Mulligan said that she hoped to see the office’s 2025 staffing deficit rectified this year.
Reform of coronial service
The 2025 report repeats concerns expressed in previous years about mortuaries, pointing out that, as the OSP does not have its own mortuary facility, pathologists must travel to various HSE-run mortuaries around the country to perform State forensic examination of cases.
Mulligan said that plans for a new Dublin District Mortuary, along with the reform of the coronial service, would have “a very positive impact” on the forensic autopsy service in Ireland.
“A centralised mortuary will reduce our reliance on access to other facilities, which has been limited in recent years because of the ongoing crisis in the provision of the coronial autopsy service nationally,” she stated.
Skeletal remains
The report shows that the OSP, at the direction of the Dublin District Coroner, carried out 76 adult non-suspicious PMEs – fewer than normal, according to the report, due to the unfilled State pathologist post and the need to focus on the forensic workload.
Eight cases were referred to it for expert opinion.
Of the 38 cases of skeletonised remains referred to the OSP last year, 14 were identified as human bones and 24 were identified as animal bones.
Of the 14 human skeletal remains, four were classified as ancient or historic and, where appropriate, referred on to the National Museum of Ireland.
Another four were classified as modern (potentially of forensic relevance), while the ages were uncertain in the remaining cases.