John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

They are important points to stress and to emphasise here. There is also in philosophy and theology a just war theory, where killing is, in very simple terms, morally permissible because of what you are fighting against. One of the things that sets us apart from the animal kingdom as human beings is our ability to think rationally and our freedom of thought, freedom of expression and freedom to make decisions. I am not trying to catch out or trap Dr. Finegan. However, if I, John Lahart, at some point in my life say that, after due consideration, considering the absolute context of my physical state, my impending demise, my quality of life or lack thereof, I have made a rational, considered, informed decision that I would like the opportunity and I am making a choice to end that sooner than might happen naturally, would Dr. Finegan deny me that right, notwithstanding that I have covered all of the bases that he is challenging in terms of freedom of decision, access to proper interventions and so on? After all of that, what if it is still my decision that I would like to do this?