Ms Sin?ad Gibney:

We have highlighted the fundamental right to life as being the right that the committee needs to consider first and foremost. I think what the Deputy is talking about is that there are options that should be available to people. I agree, and as we have set out in our responses, having those range of choices available to people is positive and important. It is about having them as a full set of choices though, and not just a set of choices on paper, if one likes. If one is introduced, it is important that those other options are there. Palliative care has to be a good option, as Deputy Daly said. We have positive and strong palliative supports available in certain parts of the country, but it is not consistently available for people. When choices are introduced, one has to allow for all of the choices to be fully and readily available for people, and then one has to make sure that the decision-making to opt for any of those choices is legislated for and facilitated. That is why the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 was so important, why it is important to look at this in the context of that Act, and to bring it forward to allow for people where decision-making is not as straightforward. Again, I am talking about people with disabilities here, and that they are facilitated to do so and see that range of options available to them.