Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank our witnesses for being here with us today. It is very important for us to get the international perspective on this. This is what is being provided to us today. We have a very short space of time to come to our conclusions and our recommendations for Government on what is a very complex issue. We are very reliant on the expertise of people who work in the area, whether it be palliative care workers, doctors, medical practitioners and champions of those who find themselves in a situation where they are terminally ill and they themselves wish to die. Getting this international perspective, and at this stage we have spoken to many witnesses from around the globe, will help us shape our recommendations.

I am particularly interested in how we build in safeguards if we go down the route of legislating for assisted dying. My issue with much of what we have been debating is that we have heard people who are for it and against it but I want to get into the nitty-gritty of how, if we go down this road, it could be as safe as possible. Mr. Seymour has captured exactly how many safeguards there are in New Zealand and how many opportunities there are for people to change their minds-----