Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 12 December 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying

Examination of Potential Consequences - Protecting and Enhancing the Provision of Palliative Care: Discussion

Dr. Matthew Dor?:

Yes, but palliative care is letting nature take its course. Removing treatment is returning things to the natural course of events. It is not actually a right to withdraw treatment per se. It is a right in that we are not allowed to force-feed or force-treat people. We are not allowed to force oncology or chemotherapy on someone. We are not allowed to force food on someone. I have never seen someone voluntarily stop eating and drinking.