Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Senators Ruane and O'Loughlin. Parliamentary privilege is considered to apply to the utterances of Members participating online in a committee meeting when their participation is from within the parliamentary precincts. There can be no assurances in relation to participation online from outside the parliamentary precincts and Members should be mindful of this when they are contributing.

This committee discusses dying, including suicide, and support information can be found on the committee's web page. The topic for discussion this evening is the perspective of religious, faith-based and other philosophical groups on assisted dying.

I warmly welcome Reverend Steven Foster from the Methodist Church in Ireland, who is joining us online, Reverend Dr. David Bruce and Dr. Rebecca Stevenson from the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, whom I believe are also joining us online, Ms Petra Conroy and Dr. Margaret Naughton from the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference, Reverend Dr. Rory Corbett from the Church of Ireland, Mr. Neil Ward, chair of the Humanist Association of Ireland, and from the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council, Shaykh Dr. Umar Al-Qadri, chairperson, and Dr. Ibraheem Tunau. I thank them for attending and joining us online. I appreciate that their time is valuable.

The questions and answers format of this meeting will see members asking questions after all of the witnesses have given their opening statements. A member can ask an individual witness a question or address a question more generally to all of the witnesses. I ask that the witnesses keep each of their opening statements to the agreed five minutes, as doing so will be important.

I invite Reverend Foster to make his opening statement.