Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

First, I am conscious that there is a case currently before the courts on what is known as assisted suicide. Deputy Donnelly will appreciate that while the case is before the courts I cannot comment on it nor should any Member of the House. Perhaps it is best that the case would conclude before we as legislators have a discussion on assisted suicide.

I met with Tom Curran after the Marie Fleming case. Deputy Donnelly asked me a straight question. It is my view that as legislators we should address the issue in the House. It is a difficult issue. I have enormous sympathy for the situation in which Tom and Marie find themselves. There is no simple answer. When we come to look at the matter in terms of legislation it will not be a simple, straightforward issue. There is a range of ethical, legal and other issues associated with this topic. We should address the topic collectively as legislators. It should not be a Government and Opposition type of issue. We should address it first as human beings and then as legislators. We should approach it by putting ourselves in the situation that Tom and Marie are in.

We should address it very honestly. One must consider what is opened up if what is now known as assisted suicide is legislated for. These are obviously some of the considerations. They are considerations on which the Minister for Justice and Equality and his Department will inevitably seek legal advice. This is a matter we need to address. I suggest that once the present court case is over, we should find a way collectively, perhaps through one of the Oireachtas committees, of having the issue dealt with in a non-partisan way. The issue requires to be dealt with legislatively. We have seen the Supreme Court judgment and I read it at the time I met Tom. The straight answer to Deputy Donnelly's question is that I do believe we should deal with this as legislators.

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