F17[7.— (1) Where a vacancy arises in the office of coroner in respect of a coroner’s district, and that district is within the area of a local authority in which there is more than one coroner’s district, the Minister, following consultation with the local authority concerned, may direct that a coroner holding office in respect of another coroner’s district within the area of that local authority shall also hold office as coroner in respect of the district in which the vacancy arose, and on the direction of the Minister coming into effect, the coroner’s districts shall stand amalgamated.

(2) The Minister shall not issue a direction under subsection (1) unless the coroner concerned consents to act as coroner in respect of the amalgamated district.]