Irish Examiner view: Justice delayed

Andrew Gearns, who died in prison, with his brother Evan Gearns during happier times.

The pain and frustration felt by the Gearns family because of a backlog of cases in Cork Coroner’s Office is shared by many across the country.

Despite handling 25% of the volume of cases as Dublin Coroner’s Court, Cork has just two staff, compared to 24 in the capital. There are only so many cases it can process. The delays, due to staff shortages and a lack or resources, are
impacting on families, many of whom just want closure.