We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
THE FIRST MEETING of the Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying was held last night, after months of delay.
The cross-party panel of TDs and senators will examine whether a system should be implemented to allow terminally ill people to avail of medical assistance to die in certain circumstances.
There are six areas of discussion that the committee will address. These include legal and ethical questions, as well as analysis of how other states have implemented assisted dying.
People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny, speaking in the wake of the first private meeting of the committee, described it as a “very complex issue”.
Kenny said that although there is “not one perfect model”, Ireland can learn from international legislation, such as that of Oregan in the United States and some Australian states.
Independent Senator Rónán Mullen said: “I get the sense that there is a greater balance of opinion among TDs and senators on this issue than there might have been on the abortion committee.”
‘Assisted suicide’
While “assisted dying” is the term used officially in the committee, some members refer to the matter as “assisted suicide”.
Kenny says that labelling the act “suicide” is “highly irresponsible”.
“I think the vast majority of people won’t use that terminology, but if they want to use it, I can’t stop them”, he said.
This is largely cosmetic. I would rather concentrate on more important elements of the issue.
In contrast, Mullen says assisted dying as a term is “euphemistic” because it “masks the idea that people are actually having their lives ended deliberately”.
“It’s kind of honeyed words to describe something that is very complicated, very difficult and potentially very dangerous.”
Public consultation
The first private meeting of the special committee was originally set for October 2022, but was delayed.
It was suggested yesterday that the committee not meet in public until September to avoid interruption from the summer recess.
“I am particularly against that”, said Kenny, who is “confident” it will meet within the next five weeks.
Once it goes into public session, the committee must produce a report on the issue within nine months.
“Those who maybe might want to see a change in the law would say the sooner we start, the sooner it’s before the government – there’ll be time for plans before the next elections”, Mullen said.
Kenny added that discussions on the issue have been going on for “over a decade” and it’s time for a forum that can give “not only public representatives an understanding of assisted dying, but also the public”.
Contributors will include medical professionals, palliative care specialists and people personally affected by the issue.
The committee is tasked with identifying possible unintended consequences of assisted dying legislation.
It may recommend that no change be made to current laws.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Difficult for everyone too talk about but at the end of the day think of those suffering incurable diseases and chronic pain. They are one’s suffering not the rest of us in good health for now. We put animals down when no cure or badly injured, the least we can do is let those who want to go go peacefully when they know they’re ready. They can make their own peace with whatever God they follow after.
@Mick McGuinness: I can only speak for myself and my wider family who are all Roman Catholics. Assisted suicide can never be acceptable.
@ggg: If it’s what someone wants, then it is acceptable. It doesn’t matter if anyone else disapproves or not. If it’s not happening to them, they’re not entitled to a say on the matter & just have to deal with it.
@ggg: it’s not you speaking for yourself OR your wider family, isn’t that the point? The doctrine is sacra-sent, someone else speaks for you.
@ggg: I would imagine it will go to referendum.
@ggg:
Pain and a terminal diagnosis can shake even the strongest faith.
Not sure how one can hold such a view then bring their end of life pet to the vets to be put down.
@ggg: That’s fine, suffer before you die and that is your choice. But you don’t get to decide, how I die and how I live!
@ggg: If you are a Catholic, I understand you. But religion is different from government. I was a Catholic. Now I believe that every rational person is entitled to have autonomy over how s/he lives or ends their life.
You say “Assisted suicide can never be acceptable.” But what about people who don’t believe in your God? The acceptability or not comes from your scripture. If I don’t subscribe to your scripture, surely I can be allowed make my own decision?
Now this I agree with. A person of sound mind should be able to choose for themselves, without stress or guilt. If you are chronically ill, with no hope, why should you have to suffer on in pain and misery while your loved ones have to watch it happen. If a person chooses this path, then it should be respected. They’re not harming anybody else.
@Anna Carr: whilst your post is the most intelligent I’ve heard on this subject Anna, I can’t go with it for the simple fact , you mustn’t interfere with the natural life at any costs.
@Anna Carr: once its kept to the extreme situations where theirs no option left…
Look at Canada their using it as a way to deal with their lack of competent medical services…were a woman chose assisted suicide not because the help she needed didn’t exist but because she fell through the cracks and in the end Canadian socialised health care system came to her aid and said yes will help you kill yourself…she didn’t want to due…rather than give what could have saved her life…they killed her in assisted health care…eventually state socialised health care always comes to the “final solution” let’s kill them it’d be easier on the system…
So yea I’m for assisted suicide but only as the last option left and sadly their is no other option no matter how much we may want it…
@ggg: why?
@ggg: The people will decide, not you and your Religion!
@ggg: What is the basis for your belief?
@William Slevin: Please cite the source for your assertion about “were a woman chose assisted suicide…”
@ggg: all meds are out so
@ggg: totally respect that.
Your life your decision…
@Damien Leen: wrong
@William Slevin: Solid input to the debate.
@William Slevin: Flat-earthers are all out on this one.
@William Slevin: Why, exactly?
If it’s what someone wants, it’s nobodies business but their own. So have the option there for anyone who wants it & let them have it. There’s not much else to say on the issue.
I’m delighted the conversation is taking place, its about time.
Too many people have suffered for idea of the sanctity of life but we treat animals better.
If my dog is suffering the vet will put the dog to sleep but we have to watch our family members gasp for breath as they linger until their illness finally runs its course.
@Jacqueline McCabe: poor argument Jacqueline. We can never equate animals to humans. It’s just silly to do it.
@ggg: Why, do you think you are superior, because you believe you are made in God’s image and that’s why you RC’s go around behaving like mini Gods!
@Emmet Murphy: that’s a bit harsh. Everyone has their own faith and they believe it. I’m not RC, but I respect others belief. You obviously have a beef with the church, so did I, so I left, but I don’t berate others for staying.
Assisted dying can never be ok from a Roman Catholic country. Now let’s call it what it is, it’s real name is assisted suicide. I’m not happy with this. God gave us life and we cannot interfere with that road.
@ggg: We interfere with life all the time by keeping people in misery and suffering way past time they were released from it through death.
@ggg: your god is not a nice god if he is happy to let someone die a slow agonising death from a terminal illness.
@Teresa O’Donnell Joyce: not God life Teresa. We must never interfere.
@ggg: God? Lol
The grip of the church on this country is history. Those days won’t be coming back, thankfully.
Call it whatever you want.
People facing their own mortality should have the option to comfortably shorten their suffering. There’s no medals awarded for a prolonged death. Having watched cancer shrivel and agonise a relative of mine (between doses of morphine) I would be completly favour of assisted dying.
@ggg: You can live and die by the rules of whatever god you think is real, that’s your right. However your beliefs don’t apply to anyone else.
@Maximus_Demonus: they do if you have the same beliefs
@ggg: Roma catholic country?? Ever here of separation of church and state……we went down the road if separation of church and state along Time ago and unfortunately it will probably take another 2 generations to undo the pain and Hurt thay caused…and as we are on the subject of assisted suicide god grave himself up for us if i am remembering correctly….. absolutely nothing to do with roman Catholic church….so why shouldn’t someone who is in so much pain and dying slowly not have the same choice to give up their lives to save their families pain of seeing them dying slowly ?
@ggg: what’s your opinion on keeping people artificially alive for years on end, this too is interference?
@ggg: God. The biggest abortionist of all time.
@ggg: we voted for divorce, same sex marriage and abortion and the church and iona institute campaigned to no avail. Thankfully! This will also pass if it goes to a referendum. I will certainly be voting yes
@ggg: Your religious opinions should not impact others.
You are entitled to live according to your religion.
However people who do not share your opinions should not have to live by it.
(Ireland is not a catholic country.)
@ggg: That’s fine, as long as you believe in a God. What happens if you don’t? Are you saying that your view trumps all others, including that of other religions?
@Maximus_Demonus: That speaks to the ‘essential marrow’ of the debate!
We need to funking demand our governments work for us , Cruelty is what dev learned from the English and it still hurts .Time to grow up a behave like adults
I am glad you said of sound mind Anna because I think this could be left open to abuse. A lot of people could have dementia or other brain disorders and could be cohersed to do this.
@Derek Poutch: Legislation has successfully dealt with this in other jurisdictions. Your view is tending to fundamentalism.
I don’t know how i feel about it to be completely honest. I’ve very mixed feelings about it. But what definitely scares me is that health insurance companies in the US and Canada refuse to pay for some cancer treatments but will pay for assisted dying. That’s really scary.
@ggg is entitled to their opinion. That is their entitlement and right. Noone should try change their mind or force their oninion on them. For the rest of who disagree with @ggg’s opinion we’ll do our thing. Give us the right to do as we wish and if an assisted departing is that choice and once they are of sound mind to make it that is their choosing. If @ggg doesn’t want to make that choice it’s their own business. I’m up to my back teeth with the grip the church still has the most dangerous is our young people in public schools being thought fairy stories. #CHURCHOUTOFPUBLICSCHOOLS! Bit off topic I guess…
Stop allowing the church dictate!
Doctors and nurses are trained to save lives. It is not fair to ask them to end lives.
There was a lady in another country who asked to have her life ended if she had dementia. After getting dementia she got very upset when the people came to end her life.
Relatives sometimes get annoyed when elderly use up the inheritance they were expecting on care home fees and could put pressure on the elderly to have assisted suicide.
@Tom Mullally: All contributions which start with vague statements like “There was a lady in another country who asked to have her life ended…” are usually false, and made by trolls. If you are making a genuine point, please cite the EXACT source of your information. Otherwise you just look like a fool.
@Tom Mullally: let the state use up a patient’s money first. Then they will decide.
Alot of well meaning comments about our elderly suffering at the end of life. Though appreciated they mean nothing to Roman Catholics. Suffering is a part of life.
@ggg: I assume you don’t take pain killers etc. You wouldn’t want to spoil that life of yours…
@ggg: your god is all about pain and suffering to please him and keep him happy. If you don’t endure pain and suffering during your life on earth then you are doomed to an eternity of it in hell. Not a nice god at all.
@ggg: Jesus wept…… suffering is a part if life? ….i would hate to see you views on same sex marriage….are ya sure your not the bishop of galway ggg ?
@ggg: But Catholics aren’t the only people on the earth. And the debate is NOT about making assisted suicide/dying mandatory. Just optional for those whose God or absence of God doesn’t forbid it.
Religion out. Seize their assets, remove their power. no more makey uppy. Logic to the fore.
In Belgium, where assisted suicide has been legal for years now, (and in cases of terminally ill children parents can make that decision for them) health insurance companies will cover the cost of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, along with the cost of assisted suicide, however palliative care is not covered.
I’m an atheist. I don’t object to euthanasia on religious grounds. I object to it because it’s done as a profitable enterprise.
A complex issue no doubt but also a very slippery slope.
@Sal Paradise look at my post to Anna Carr…its detailed their…
Damien lean gave a simple statement I gave a simple reponse…
You took the opportunity to take a shot at me…as far as I can tell you’ve made no contribution to the debate other than this…that’s a fail
@William Slevin: yes spotted that William. Some on hear can give smart one line answers but offer zero to the debate. They are best avoided in my opinion. There’s a poster on this thread who constantly harrasses me with anti religious taunts, yet he never ever offers anything to the debate. I can’t remember his full name but I think his surname is Ryan. A complete pest
@ggg: Awwww poor you and should we treat you like a God?
@ggg: One thing I am curious about and acknowledge it’s off topic. But how do people who consider Ireland to be a ‘Roman Catholic country’ balance that with the religious orders who have acknowledged abuse of children by their members, but have simple stonewalled Irish soceity with regards to the cash payments in restitution that they agreed to, for abuses they accepted has happened?
I am not having a go at you personally,but genuinely struggle to see how that doesn’t disappoint those who have faith in the Catholic Church in Ireland to the point of giving up? Because if you don’t pay what you promised today, it’s not a sin of the past, but of the present.. It can’t be blamed on those who have passed away, those who are now incapacitated etc. It is a strategy, plain and simple.
We will have to wait for the British Parliament to make it law before we also implement it ,we always follow the Brits, it’s the Irish way
@ Nick caffery: here is the link to an article in the guardian paper…a simple Google search and selecting news will bring up multiple news articles about this Canadian woman who chose assisted suicide because the canadian health care system failed her and instead of helping her the Canadian health care system killed her instead by way of assisted suicide…
ww.google.ie/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11508581/amp/Woman-featured-commercial-euthanasia-Canada-wanted-live-access-care.html?espv=1
Live a nice clean life and get that extra 6 months when your dying to go, maybe helped along.
have your say