Mr. Michael Nugent:

I wish to address two aspects of this issue which are not often addressed, one of which is unintended consequences. There is an unintended consequence of the current situation which is that it brings the law into disrepute. That is because rational, terminally-ill people who fully support the law have their own ethical priorities when they are dying. They will simply not comply with a law which causes them to undergo unnecessary suffering. My late wife, Anne Holliday, died of cancer a few years ago. Some of the members might know her as she used to work in Leinster House. She also worked in the office of the Tánaiste. Certainly, some of the members' longer serving colleagues will have known her. Anne supported the law completely and she dedicated her life to campaigning for democracy and respect for the law. When she was dying, however, she understood that she did not want to experience unnecessary suffering. In her mind, her right to avoid that was more important than respecting an unjust law which was causing people to suffer unnecessarily.

The second point of which most people are unaware is that many people - in some cases and places, it is most people - decide not only that they want to avail of the right to assisted dying, they actually make the preparations and put in place the ability to do it. Anne did that and I was prepared to assist her even though it would have been breaking the law and even though I strongly support the law in principle. Anne died naturally, as do most people who make these preparations. It is not about the act of dying, it is about the peace of mind one has while one is still alive of knowing one can avoid unnecessary suffering at the end if one has to. Once we had made those preparations, Anne's quality of life soared for its remainder. She had a quality of life that she would not have had if she had not made those preparations. We should not have had to try to find the information on our own; it is a process which should be regulated by law in a proper democratic society. In Marie's case, the courts have said that it is possible for the Oireachtas to find a balance that would put the necessary safeguards in place. The courts have told the Oireachtas that they cannot do it; it is up to the Legislature.