Dublin’s main mortuary operating at double capacity

Vivienne Clarke

Conditions at Dublin’s main mortuary in Whitehall are operating at double capacity, with 500 autopsies performed already in 2026 when the capacity is for 400 autopsies per annum.

Fintan Cooney, president of the Irish Association of Funeral Directors, has warned that staff at Dublin City Mortuary and the Coroner’s Office were working in conditions that were “less than ideal.”

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast with Anton Savage, Cooney pointed out that the mortuary in Whitehall in Dublin was originally opened as a temporary measure when a facility that was planned for Marino did not go ahead.

“The capacity is for approximately 400 autopsies per annum, but I understand that already this year they've conducted over 500.”

The number of hospitals in Dublin that conduct post-mortems on behalf of the coroner has reduced in recent years, which has added to the problem, he said.

“It's a very difficult situation because, as you can imagine, if somebody has to undergo an autopsy at Dublin City Mortuary, it's probably because the death has occurred in sudden, unexpected or possibly tragic circumstances.

“And to have then a significant delay in the release of that person into the care of the funeral director so the family can have a funeral is going to just add further to their already significant grief and trauma.”

Cooney called for plans for a proper mortuary facility in Dublin to be put into operation.