Families have to endure inordinate delays before inquests into the deaths of loved ones can proceed because of the time it takes for test results to come back from the State Laboratory.
The coroner for Kildare, Prof Denis Cusack, said yesterday it was now taking up to seven months for results to become available from the laboratory at Abbotstown in west Dublin. This delay is totally unacceptable, he said.
More than three years ago, he said, a report from the working group reviewing the coroner service called for the delays to be addressed urgently. At that time, this was about four months.
"Since that report was written the situation hasn't got better or stayed the same. It has disimproved further," Prof Cusack said.
He had written to the Ministers for Finance and Justice to express his concerns but nothing had been done.
Prof Cusack, who is professor of forensic medicine at University College Dublin, stressed that his comments were not a criticism of staff at the State Laboratory. The problem was that it was under-resourced.
He recently had to adjourn a number of inquests where results from the laboratory were outstanding for more than six months.
"Families are constantly asking why they are taking so long. It is very difficult for them," he said.
Up to one fifth of the 1,800 post-mortems which proceed to inquest every year are affected. "So you are talking about a very significant number of relatives who have to wait a long time for test results and for finality to inquests.
"It is very difficult for a coroner to deal with relatives in a way we would wish when we have this delay.
"And we will reach a further crisis in the next few months when the State Laboratory moves to Backweston [near Celbridge, Co Kildare\]. Work will have to be suspended during the move.
"There is a clear requirement for an improved turnaround time for tests from the State Laboratory. They should not take longer than three months and if possible should be available in two months," he said.
The State Laboratory is required to carry out confirmatory tests on samples from post-mortems if initial screening at a local hospital indicates the presence of drugs or substances which may have contributed to death.
Prof Cusack said the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, recently renewed a commitment to reform the coroners' service, which he welcomed, but proof of his commitment would be in the actions he takes in the immediate future.
The Department of Finance, which has responsibility for the State Laboratory, did not reply to requests for an explanation for the delays when contacted yesterday.