Who reports a death to the Coroner

Sudden, unnatural, violent or unexplained deaths where a doctor cannot sign a Death Notification Form and certain other categories of deaths must be reported to the Coroner. Find out who has the responsibility to report a death to the Coroner below.

A death will usually be reported to the Coroner by a Healthcare Professional if a person dies due to natural causes (for example in a nursing home), or if the doctor had not seen or treated the deceased within a month before the death.

If a death is due to unnatural causes it should be reported to a member of Garda Síochána who will notify the Coroner.

COVID-19 related deaths must be reported to the Coroner by the treating doctor. The Coroner will investigate whether the death is due to natural causes. If the death doesn't require further investigation the Coroner will complete the inquiry and notify public health authorities.

In all other circumstances a death should be reported to the Coroner by:

• the doctor of the deceased (in some Coroner’s Districts, a reporting Doctor will complete a Coroner’s report form and submit it to that Coroner’s office)
• a funeral undertaker
• the Registrar of deaths
• any householder and every person in charge of an institution or premises where the person who died was residing at the time of their death