Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The meeting is divided into two parts. I ask members to be concise in their contributions as this will assist in the running of the meetings. This is the first meeting in a series which will investigate the arrangements for end-of-life care in Ireland and what measures can be taken to ensure that persons of all ages who are approaching the end of life are enabled to die well and with dignity. End-of-life issues will affect every human being. They encompass the areas of both physical and mental health. Death is a fact of life. Some 29,000 people died in Ireland last year and up 290,000 people were bereaved and are coming to terms with loss.

It is appropriate that the committee turn its attention to the current system of care for those who are dying and how the health services are organised to deal with end-of-life care. I thank the committee members for their involvement in the preparation for these hearings. I thank Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell for her assistance and Senator John Crown for his expertise.

This country has a long tradition of dealing sympathetically and respectfully with the end of life and bereavement. It is important that those approaching the end of life, as well as their families and friends, are treated with dignity and respect and given proper care and support. A significant part of the health budget is also invested in caring for our dying patients. We need to examine how a high-quality health service can be provided by making proper use of resources. We will all have an end-of-life experience - hopefully, not for a long time to come, although this is not in our hands to decide. It is good policy for the committee to review and plan for the future. I hope this series of meetings will help in the examination of the key issues and lead to the development of a basis for a framework for future planning and further action. Over the course of these hearings we will hear from experts who are delivering end-of-life care in all care settings, be that in hospices, in the community or in nursing homes. We thank those who are attending the committee meetings voluntarily and willingly in order to give us their insights and expertise.

I ask all contributors to be conscious of time, as there are two sessions today. We plan to hold six sessions over the next five meetings. The committee will publish a report which it is hoped will lead to further action.

I welcome Ms Sharon Foley, Ms Patricia Rickard-Clarke, Professor Eamon O'Shea and Dr. Joan McCarthy. I advise the witnesses that, by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given. They are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members are reminded of the long-standing ruling of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or any official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I invite Ms Sharon Foley, chief executive officer of the Irish Hospice Foundation, to make her opening remarks.