Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

In the past three months we have ascertained a number of things in this committee. There is no legal impediment for Ireland to introduce assisted dying. We have gone through that in relation to the Constitution. It is up to legislators to possibly introduce legislation on assisted dying. Public opinion has indicated that the clear majority of people would support assisted dying in limited circumstances, or probably even broader ones. Internationally, more than 20 countries have introduced assisted dying and there is variation in each of those jurisdictions. We all understand this. I would hope that as legislators and a country we would introduce assisted dying in some form very soon.

It is a basic human right. A question that is referenced many times is whether, if assisted dying was legislated for in Ireland, it would change the doctor-patient relationship. Some people say it would fundamentally do that. Others say it would not. I want to get our guests' medical opinion on that paradigm, maybe starting with Dr. O'Shea.