Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Professor O'Neill for his presentation. We had two men presenting last week who talked about how their wives, when diagnosed with serious illnesses, had a fear of unbearable suffering. They both discussed how if they got to a point they would have assisted them in suicide. When that decision was made, both women felt relieved. They ended up dying naturally. However, it struck a chord with me that it made life better for them when they agreed on assisted suicide. What are Professor O'Neill's thoughts on that?

Both my parents had cancer and were in a hospice. They received fantastic palliative care. In the end, they both ended up getting morphine which hurried up their passing.

I know it helped. I was happy for them that they were in a very peaceful place and passed away very peacefully. What are Professor O'Neill's thoughts on that? In a way, I believe the morphine helped them to die more quickly. Perhaps I am wrong about that - I am not an expert, a medical doctor or anything like that - but, morally, from Professor O'Neill's perspective, how does he feel about it? Furthermore, what is his number one concern about this? Is it the worst way in which this would be abused? Is it the older generation? Is it the psychological side of it? Which aspect is he most concerned about?