Lynn Ruane (Independent)
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I thank the witnesses. I concur with a lot of what Deputy Farrell just said. I know Dr. Cranfield probably thought she was illustrating one thing but it further cemented another thing for me, which was the phases of intervention and how they may change over time. The interventions are probably as transient as the want to die in the sense that our condition can change and increase and our thoughts can change and increase. It really allowed me to separate out the role of palliative care to a certain point for I hope many people. However, a small minority of people may move beyond the scenario Dr. Cranfield spoke about and it is about how we capture them.

It made me incredibly sad when I read all the statements. We go to funerals where we hear people thanking the palliative care team, the nurses and the hospice. It makes me incredibly sad to think that the appreciation people feel for that care would be in any way removed for people who chose to die in a different manner from the one set out here today. I would hate to see Ireland legislate for something and then have the palliative care and hospice movement remove its skill set, care and compassion and its decades of experience in determining whether something is an intervention or psychosocial and to be able to add that level of knowledge.

I understand the fear people have that if they engage with palliative care, it may look like they are seeking assisted dying. Of course, all that work needs to be done. I understand that people are afraid when hospices are even mentioned and death feels near. Dr. McQuillan referred to the fact that assisted dying would devalue life. For some people having palliative care providers understand that a person's will and capacity to make such an important decision after all of the interventions would actually add value to the lives. Some people would feel valued by the fact that care providers understand that some people make a certain decision that providers may not want for them but under a legal structure should be part of providing for them.

What do the witnesses feel about a scenario in Ireland where we have assisted dying and that palliative care removes itself from the equation? How are those people's lives valued and how would that be separated from the idea of end-of-life care? I would hate to see a scenario where that skill set was removed from people who may choose differently from what was set out today.