Ms Sin?ad Gibney:

I will just make a couple of points. I agree that the Senator has well articulated the challenges the members are facing as lawmakers. The difficulty is that the consequences are death. That is why it is a harder space in which to legislate. The unintended consequences of law are something the members grapple with all of the time as legislators. It is when we deal with an issue as challenging as this that the stakes are raised even further.

There has been discussion and mention of a potential citizens' assembly. While I am in no way calling for an assembly or anything like that, it is a topic that is well suited to such a forum. It is important that, where assisted dying is discussed in the public sphere, the complexity and sensitivity of the difficult issues raised are considered. Others have referenced the importance of voices, particularly from those communities we have referenced. It is not just about the disability community. It must be ensured that the disabled persons' organisations, DPOs, are consulted when we are talking about these issues.