Dr. Feargal Twomey:

I think the Senator is referring to people who have been before the committee previously. Members will have heard arguments – as I have - on both sides in answer to that question. In Australia and New Zealand, where practice is relatively new, they have quite considerable confidence that, for example, there has not been any expansion of access or weakening of safeguards and, in some cases, it works comfortably alongside palliative care. The evening I was here on 17 October, colleagues from Canada were before the committee remotely and directly. They probably could not have been coming from two further ends of the spectrum with regard to their perspectives. Providers said it was absolutely harmonious with end-of-life care and colleagues in palliative care and law expressed concern that it was harmful and so on. I do not have a particular view to express today except to say that the committee has had clear guidance from previous contributors.