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

I thank the witnesses. I really enjoyed their contributions. On the Northern Ireland humanist contribution, I am fascinated by the evidence in the statement on religion and non-practising of religion and connecting it with decisions around this. It is a topic worthy of consideration by the committee. My question is for all the witnesses. Do they think there are philosophical or, more importantly, theological values that subliminally underlie and underpin the way we think about this issue? In layman’s terms, in Christianity, say, suffering was made bearable on the basis that there is another life or a hereafter and if we can only offer this pain up then it will be worth it and there will be a great reward. It seems from some of our previous witnesses that that is not simply a theological concept but also a philosophical one quite removed from theology. I would welcome the witnesses input on that.

Looking at Canada, the context seems to have been removed from assistance in dying to assisted dying. Some of the evidence we received, which was contradicted by other evidence, said that what started out as a law that permitted those who were dying and were terminally ill to received assistance in that has now moved, in a slippery slope kind of argument, and that people who have no symptoms of imminent demise are able to choose assisted dying. I get the slippery slope aspect. I think we all do and it is one of the interesting areas here.

Professor Binchy has been a frequent visitor here over the years. He has a considerable legal mind and I have great respect for him. The slippery slope seems to be his strongest argument. Given the evidence this committee has received in relation to palliative care not always being successful and medicine not always being able to deal with the intolerable pain and suffering of individuals, are there simply no circumstances in which Professor Binchy would see that assisted dying, because of the slippery slope possibilities, is the humane thing to do and that, if we could legislate for it in the most narrow way, that it would be acceptable to him?