Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)

I am delighted to introduce this Bill along with my colleagues Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Mark Ward. It gives the coroner the option of recording iatrogenic suicide as a verdict. Iatrogenic is the ending of one’s own life where the effect of medical treatment undertaken by the deceased, including any prescribed medication, is the primary cause of such action. I welcome Stephanie and John to the Public Gallery and also Jim and Vera Connell. I knew Jim and Vera’s son Darren. He was a great footballer. He played with Meath under-14s and played right up to minor level. He was a friend of my own son. He was looked up to by everybody and he was a great young fella. We have a 50-mile walk that we do every year for cancer and he walked it. He probably would be with the Meath team in Croke Park next Sunday if he were still around.

This Bill is important to families like Darren’s as it would give them closure by having the correct verdict recorded. Darren’s family has asked for a joint meeting with the Minister for justice and the Minister for Health. The Minister for justice has said he is open to meeting. The Minister for Health has had three submissions for a meeting and Jim and Vera have yet to hear back. It would be great if both Ministers could meet Darren’s parents and listen to their story. We are looking for Government support for this Bill. It should be a no-brainer.

See this speech in context