Yesterday’s Dáil debate: Majority of TDs who spoke expressed opposition to introduction of euthanasia
Yesterday afternoon, the Dáil debated the pro-euthanasia recommendations contained in the report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Assisted Dying. The committee was established following the unexpected passage at Second Stage of the private members’ Dying With Dignity Bill 2021, proposed by Gino Kenny TD of People Before Profit.
Despite a majority of the committee voting some months back in favour of a euthanasia regime being introduced, when the recommendations were debated in the Dail yesterday, most of the TDs who spoke were opposed to any relaxation of the law to permit euthanasia/assisted suicide. Nine TDs contributed to the debate yesterday, five of whom opposed the introduction of euthanasia, two of whom supported it, and two were non-committal.
During the debate, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said that as a country we should focus on “assisted living” instead of “assisted dying”. He referenced countries where euthanasia has been introduced and how quickly it normalised the practice, leading to a massive increase in the numbers opting to end their lives.
He talked about the palliative care doctors who opposed euthanasia and gave evidence to the Oireachtas committee and said there was no group with greater compassion and knowledge on the issue in the community than them. He remarked that once euthanasia is introduced there’s no escaping the fact that older people and people with terminal illnesses increasingly feel pressured to opt for assisted suicide.
Speaking during the debate, Independent TD for Laois-Offaly, Deputy Carol Nolan, said: “Quite simply, the adoption of the recommendations contained in this Report would represent the crossing of an ethical and legislative Rubicon that is almost too terrifying to contemplate.”
She said if the report was adopted, the Oireachtas “will have opened up a Pandora’s Box where the likelihood of grave injustices being visited upon one of the most vulnerable groups in our society will move from grim possibility to absolute certainty.”
Meanwhile, Galway West Fianna Fáil TD, Éamon Ó Cuív, told the Dáil that once the door is opened to euthanasia there's no way of limiting access. He said proponents of euthanasia typically propose something very limited at the outset until it inevitably gets widened more and more.
Westmeath Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy, who was a member of the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying, said during the debate that on balance having listened to the experts who presented before the committee, particularly in the area of palliative care, it left him with a huge concern at what would happen if euthanasia was introduced here.
Fine Gael TD from Kildare Bernard Durkan told the Dáil that he has always been opposed to legislation permitting euthanasia and he expressed grave concern at the way pro-euthanasia/assisted suicide laws in other countries had developed. He said the advances in modern medicine and palliative care were wonderful and that the focus and attention should go to that rather than opening the door to euthanasia.
At no stage was a vote scheduled to take place after yesterday’s debate. Gino Kenny however has called for a vote on the report to take place next week. It is expected that government parties will oppose Kenny’s move. Nothing, however, should be taken for granted until the government makes its stance clear. We should be ready for all eventualities and to mobilise sufficient opposition to defeat the proposal. Stay tuned to our socials and website for more updates.
