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

I thank Dr. Bruce. Before we finish, I have to say that I was very much looking forward to this evening because I wanted to hear what the representatives of the religious groups, and those of no religious faith, had to say. We have had an engaging debate which will be helpful to us in the serious job we have to do. I have always and I always will have the belief that from the moment of conception to the moment of death there is one boss, there is one God. When it comes to the time of death, I always had this idea in my head, and I still have it, that when people who might not believe in God are under pressure and perhaps drawing their last breaths, they would seek assistance or comfort from God or somebody, what we call "their own God", if they believe in some God. I have seen first-hand what happens at the times of the most upset and most upheaval people experience in their lives. I do not want to embarrass the individual involved, but I have to say that Dr. Margaret Theresa Naughton has done. I have dealt with families afterwards who said straight up that because of her work and the way she dealt with their loved ones in their final days, it made what was a very upsetting, said and unhappy time bearable. In some cases when the person was old, it made the passing nice, if people know what I mean by that. I accept that it is a very unusual thing to say about parting with someone that you do not want to part with. My grandmother died when she was 96. She looked me straight in the eye and said "If I could only turn back the clock ten years". She would have loved to have another ten years. She meant it. She was fighting for time, but she could not get it. She believed that God was taking her. She was not happy that he was taking her, but she went with it because she had no choice.

It is most important for people of whatever religion or none who are there to comfort somebody at that time. It is also most important for the families to know, believe and understand that there was somebody, who they may not have known beforehand, who literally came in and sat by the bedside and spoke, listened and prayed with the person and that it brought them a sense of comfort and of fulfilment of their life that I believe is a special gift. I believe the people who are dealing with people who are dying in those types of settings have a gift from God. These people have been given a special talent to comfort people at their hour of most despair and can bring a peace upon them which not everybody can do.

With that, I want to sincerely thank Reverend Steven Foster, Reverend Dr. David Bruce, Dr. Rebecca Stevenson, Ms Petra Conroy, Dr. Margaret Naughton, the Reverend Dr. Rory Corbett, Mr. Neil Ward and Shaykh Dr. Umar Al-Qadri for coming to the meeting today and for engaging with us. I realise that many of them made a great effort and personal sacrifices to be with us and I am very grateful for that. On behalf of the secretariat and the committee members, we thank them.