Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Good morning to our witnesses. Please forgive my non-corporeal presence. Deputies must learn the art of being in two places at once and the witnesses are witnessing it this morning. I thank Ms Walsh, Mr. Wall, Mr. Curran and Mr. Ahern for coming before us this morning and detailing their lived experience and the very significant contribution they can make and have made to this overall debate and indeed to the deliberations of the committee.

I wish to address two areas of my own concern and, like Deputy Higgins, recognising the experiences of other jurisdictions, which, the witnesses will be happy to hear, we have been working through in recent weeks and will continue to do so. My major concern, having listened not just to the contributions today but also the contributors' commentary and other witnesses previously, is the issue of coercion and undue influence over people who are at an extremely vulnerable time in their lives. I refer also to how the State would deal with individuals who might have capacity issues after a certain point in an illness, for example. Unfortunately, with the best will in the world we as legislators must square that circle and figure out how to protect the citizens of the State. Having gone through some social changes in recent years in this country, and while I believe this is a somewhat separate and different issue, I cannot help but feel that exporting the question of whether a person can avail of assisted suicide is not necessarily what I would like to do. I would rather we deal with it in a compassionate manner and that we support as best we can the palliative care settings across the country and make sure they are the best that they can be. As was said already I believe this is a matter of choice with the appropriate protections in place. This is what I am striving to find.

Mr. Wall spoke of pushing "further into the procedural abyss", as in pushing this matter down the line. At the start of this public process, I expressed my belief there was not enough time left in the present Dáil to actually legislate for such a significant matter. I am afraid that I must stand over that statement, even at this point, due to the unfortunate delay that was outside of our control on the establishment of this committee, and in the production of its report and then action of Government. I do not believe we have a year left, quite frankly, and I just want to flag this. This does not necessarily mean this process is futile. Quite the contrary. From previous reports being brought forward into a new Dáil, I am aware that this matter could be picked up as it was left whenever this process airs and is published. These are just some general remarks. Some of our witnesses may wish to comment.