Pathologists near retirement pose problem for gardaí

Garda investigations into violent deaths could face major difficulties as all three state forensic pathologists are nearing retirement and there are none training in this country, it emerged yesterday.

Medical students who wish to pursue studies to become specialist forensic pathologists, must go abroad to train, according to state pathologist Marie Cassidy.

Addressing a women’s empowerment in science seminar at the University of Limerick, she said: “There are only three people in the field of speciality of forensic pathology in Ireland and, in actual fact, the area is not currently recognised as a speciality so currently forensic pathologists are not being trained in Ireland and must be recruited from abroad.