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. Faith Cranfield:

Having any involvement in it other than non-abandonment would for me be very difficult to tolerate, but I am speaking personally. At the same time, because of how I approach every single person I meet, I cannot imagine abandoning them. To suggest that is what would happen is difficult. I cannot speak for services. I cannot speak for colleagues. I refer to trying to help someone who comes to me and who wishes they were dead and being wholeheartedly able to question them and ask, "Why? Tell me what it is about" and that being a good. If in 20 years' time, it is my daughter or somebody else and it is already considered a good to no longer be alive and that is a good option, it would be very difficult to do the job that we do.