Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I understand that Dr. McKeown O'Donovan says she supports euthanasia, or assisted suicide specifically, in cases of terminal illness only. In that case only, among other things, there is no prospect that things will get better. I know many people might sympathise with a person's desire to express their autonomy in favour of ending their own life in those circumstances. My friend and colleague, Deputy Gino Kenny, frequently refers to opinion polls to bear out that point. However, what Dr. McKeown O'Donovan is struggling to overcome is the problem of collateral damage to others, even if one were to take that step. There is the question of whether the safeguards can ever stick, if there are any safeguards. There is the question of how it changes people's attitude to suffering, their attitude to each other, and the State's attitude to people. Dr. Finegan spoke, in that pretty memorable phrase, to the common good and not necessarily the kingdom of heaven, as he put it. Who are the people who will suffer if assisted suicide were introduced in the limited circumstances being posited here? Where is the downside, even if you were to concede the principle that, if there were to be no collateral damage, it would be allowed? Who loses it the law is changed?