Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

A fundamental question that we have been talking about here and elsewhere is the right to life. That is a fundamental right, but I believe, and others believe, that there is also a fundamental right to have a say over one's life, particularly if one is coming to the end of one's life. When people come to the end of their life, they have fundamental thoughts in their mind as to how their life is going to end. If assisted dying was available, people in that situation could at least have a choice. We have a choice in some manner regarding the withdrawal of food and end-of-life medication, intervention and so forth. However, I believe that it is a fundamental right of those who are in a situation of time-limiting, terminal illness and who are coming to the end of their life, to have a choice. To me, that is a very fundamental right for any human being. I wanted to get the witnesses' thoughts on that right of having a say in one's life. These are deep, profound and philosophical questions but it is a question we need to grapple with on the fundamental right of those who are in that situation.

Most people will never want to avail of assisted dying under any circumstances. They want to live every second, minute and moment of that life but there are those who do not want to do that. To me, the fundamental question is whether we give them a right and a choice. I want the witnesses' thoughts on the fundamental rights around a situation some people may find themselves in.