Role of the Coroner
The Coroner is an independent judicial officer with responsibility under the law for the medico-legal and forensic investigation of certain deaths occurring in County Kildare.
If a death is due to unnatural causes for example in a road traffic collision, suicide, accident at work or by drowning then an inquest must be held by law. The governing law is the Constitution of Ireland, common law, the Coroners Acts 1962-2019 and other relevant statutes.
In the five year period 2017-2021, the Kildare Coroner's Office enquired into 3,287 deaths in the County, directed 782 post mortem examinations and completed 296 inquests. In the year 2021 these figures were 700, 174 and 65 respectively.
The following Sections describe the functions of the Coroner with particular reference to procedure in County Kildare. It is intended as a guide for the benefit of the general public and interested parties. Further information is available from the Coroner's Office.