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Assisted Dying Oireachtas Committee Set To Hold First Public Meeting

Tuesday, 13 June 2023 09:40

The Committee includes Longford Westmeath TD's Sorca Clarke and Robert Troy.

The joint Oireachtas Committee on assisted dying will hold its first public meeting this morning.

It'll consider expert evidence over the next nine months, with a view to making recommendations on whether Ireland should allow people to choose to end their own lives, in certain situations.

The Committee includes Longford Westmeath TD's Sorca Clarke and Robert Troy.

There's already been some friction within the committee, with Senator Ronan Mullen fighting to have the name changed to assisted suicide, rather than assisted dying

Chair of the Committee, Independent TD Michael Healy Rae, says he expects it to be a very complex process:

An Oireachtas Committee has heard it is possible to safely legislate for assisted suicide in Ireland. 

The Department of Justice told the committee there would have to be incredibly strong safeguards for vulnerable people if assisted dying was to be allowed in Ireland. 

Responding to the concerns of some politicians, Sinead Gibney from the Irish Human Rights Equality Commission, said a framework could be made out:

Protections for vulnerable people must form a key part of any legislation on assisted suicide.

That was according to evidence presented to the Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying this afternoon.

She says protecting the vulnerable needs to be a central part of any discussion:

Noel in County Clare was diagnosed with incurable cancer a number of years ago and would've considered it, if it had been available.

However, while he sees both sides of the argument, he's now living with the illness because of new treatment:

 

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