Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 7 November 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying

Protecting Autonomy and Assessing Decision-making Capacity: Discussion

Ms Janie Lazar:

The Deputy asked about a moral imperative. I will bring the discussion back one stage. Like the Deputy, I have had health misadventures. When individuals are faced with their own mortality and what it means, they start to look at things differently. As I said, I talk to many people who are dying and have been in situations where they are looking at their entire situation in their families, their circle of friends - as Senator Mullen said, the wider implications. How I die matters to me and my circle of support. The Senator is fortunate to have a family and a wider circle that can provide support. People look at what they are dealing with, whether it is a specific condition or a series of treatments. Until people are in that situation, they cannot possibly know what someone else would prefer to do. In that situation, I may well change my mind because, my life at that time becomes more tolerable because of support, but there are certain places I do not want to go. I think the decisions I make will be respected by those I love.