Coroners have reported that a substantial backlog of inquest cases has developed, due to the pandemic and that it has had a significant impact on the capacity of bereaved families to get answers and to grieve.
It has also affected the closure of legal aspects, including probate requirements and the payment of some life insurance policies.
Professor Denis Cusack, Senior Coroner, District of Kildare, said that for around ten of the last 15 months, inquests had been suspended.
He has begun scheduling extra hearings to get through cases. Some complex hearings which include a large number of witnesses and juries, are likely to be put off until next year.