The new State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, will perform every post-mortem in the State in coming months because the Government has refused to sanction the funds needed to recruit a Deputy State Pathologist to share the workload.
The situation has been allowed to develop despite warnings from the former State Pathologist, Prof John Harbison, that the workload was too much for one person.
Dr Cassidy was officially appointed State Pathologist almost two weeks ago. She had been the Deputy State Pathologist since 1998. At that time the position was created after it became clear the workload of Prof Harbison could not be handled by one person.
Dr Cassidy was always clear favourite to succeed Prof Harbison, and because of this the Department of Justice planned to advertise the Deputy State Pathologist's position at the same time that the more senior role was advertised.
However, no vacancy existed for the position of deputy at the time and so the finances needed for such an appointment, some €120,000, had not been sanctioned. It is understood it may be at least six months before a deputy is recruited. In the interim, Dr Cassidy will be required to work without back-up.
In a 1996 report to the Department of Justice, Prof Harbison said his department was understaffed and overwhelmed with work, and he called for more resources. He said he was "battle weary".
Despite his formal retirement, Prof Harbison will continue to work with the State's pathology office in Marino, Dublin. He will give evidence in court cases which involve murder and manslaughter victims on whom he has performed the post-mortem. He will not take on new cases.
It could be up to five years before all of the cases in which he is involved are dealt with by the courts and he can fully retire.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice last night the Deputy State Pathologist's position will be advertised "within weeks".
