Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 28 November 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying

Assisted Dying in New Zealand and Australia: Discussion

Dr. Sinead Donnelly:

A lot of people who want to commit suicide have an existential fear of living but we do not promote their suicide. As we do not encourage them to kill themselves, why should it be different for people who are perhaps older or who have advanced illnesses of other forms? Why should we treat that form of request to die differently and what is the impact of introducing this legislation on our attempts to reduce suicide in the country generally?