Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 24 October 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying

Assisted Dying and the Ethics of Autonomy: Discussion

Mr. Andrew Copson:

As I said in my opening statement, the position I continue to support is that the person's feeling about his or her quality of life - we might call it a subjective view; of course, everyone's feelings are subjective - should be the deciding ethical factor. In addition, jurisdictions will put in medical and other safeguards around that. A reduction in quality of life that is the result of an incurable physical illness, which is another crucial qualification, should be the ethical factor.