Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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My point is really then that my father's condition released things into his life and our lives that nobody could have foreseen, not even himself, and I would call it living. I want to ask Dr. Doherty about this. My concern and that of many people is that if we talk about autonomy and choice purely and simply in this area, it is possible that we send out, or that euthanasia or assisted suicide sends out, a message to society that certain lives are less worthy of protection than others. This can end up causing some people to consider their situation, particularly people who maybe do not have access to enough quality healthcare or, indeed, enough quality family and loving relationships, and can lead to an undermining of their self-worth. That is connected in my mind with what Dr. Doherty is saying, and I notice she is being very cautious about what she is saying, about suicide here. Is it her concern that legislating for euthanasia or assisted suicide could undermine society's ability to prevent suicide generally? Is it her concern that mental health, as we are seeing now in Canada, will lead to a follow-on claim on equality grounds that if my mental health pain is excruciating, and somebody who is terminally ill has a right to ask for his or her life to be ended, why should I not too? Does Dr. Doherty worry about that domino effect or am I misunderstanding her concern?