Results 81-100 of 3,368 for speaker:Lynn Ruane

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: I second the amendment to the Order of Business. Often when you travel as a politician internationally you can come back feeling a little bit dismayed at the response of some countries to talk of a ceasefire to halt the destruction of a people like we see in Gaza. Even though we can always do more - we need to do more - and that is what this legislation can do, Ireland has a real role in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: I thank the witnesses for their participation this morning. It has been an interesting nine months. I do not think the next part of the process will be easy. I agree with Deputy Farrell's point about the Department that no one needs to be told about the importance of palliative care in Ireland. They are things we know. We have supported families through those services. I feel that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: That is my question. It says in Dr. Ní Bhriain's opening statement that there is a belief that there is a potential impact of assisted dying, but that research is not out there. Obviously, other jurisdictions have had assisted dying for a long time, and you would imagine they would have potentially accumulated some sorts of insights and research on whether there is a correlation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Yes, in terms of people refusing treatment. I would be more concerned about the intergenerational impact of watching someone starve or watching someone choose pain to die without medication. Is Dr. Ní Bhriain as concerned about that? Does she see that potentially a more caring system in very limited circumstances would actually have less of an intergenerational impact than the only...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: In terms of the question, though, does Dr. Ní Bhriain believe that the intergenerational impact of the only option being the refusal of treatment is potentially more harming than a much more dignified, managed death - with those long conversations, not just some impulsive decision but the same process?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Is there any research relating to healthcare workers watching a patient refuse treatment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Even though one is legal and one is not, and one expresses a positive right to refuse, I think we just imagine them as a dying process without placing them in the legal context. In the view of clinicians, is there not potentially a nicer way to die than by refusing treatment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Something very interesting was said about safeguards in response to Deputy Higgins. It concerned how many safeguards already exist. There definitely needs to be a recommendation on behalf of the committee or a recommendation to the Government on all the other relevant legislation, including on decision-making capacity. As the safeguarding legislation is awaited, maybe there is something in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: The witnesses must have looked at other models and hope that certain things are or are not suggested, if there is going to be a suggestion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: They are here as experts.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Why have them then?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: We are having a discussion about assisted dying.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: The scandal will happen if we introduce something and the HSE says, "Oh my God, I cannot believe they went with that".

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: If people have policy-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Well it is my slot.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: If people have policy experience-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: If we were discussing drug policies, people from the Department and from the social inclusion area would talk about which drug policies are best and those that are not good.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: I am not saying to do this to create legislation or policy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: System for Assisted Dying and Alternative Policies: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Lynn Ruane: I am saying they might be able to inform the committee of the practices in other countries and what would cause the least amount of harm. That is very different from telling them to go and create something. It is more of an acknowledgement of their expertise in the area so that we can be more informed as a committee going forward.