The Office of the State Pathologist (OSP) is a non-statutory agency established on an administrative basis under the aegis of the Department of Justice. The OSP provides a national, year round, forensic pathology service in Ireland. Forensic pathology is the discipline of medicine that deals with the determination of the cause of death for legal purposes. Forensic pathologists are medical doctors who are trained in anatomical pathology, histopathology and the interpretation of injuries at post mortem examination.

The main activity of the OSP is to undertake post mortem examinations (PMEs) in cases of sudden, unexplained death where a criminal or suspicious element is present. In approximately 3% of cases in 2024, this also involved a scene visit. The pathologists deal with homicides, as well as a wide range of natural and unnatural deaths, for example road traffic collisions, accidents and drug-related deaths.

A significant proportion of the pathologists’ work involves out-of-office activities, such as attendance at inquests and the criminal or civil courts. The OSP is also involved in the provision of expert advice to various groups (e.g. Standing Committee for Coroners PMEs, Faculty of Pathology RCPI, National Drug-Related Death Index, Government bodies and Commissions).