Rónán Mullen (Independent)

Go raibh math agat, a Chathaoirligh. I take this opportunity to welcome the Minister of State and wish her well. The Bill is a very significant achievement for the Green Party. The Green Party, particularly Senator Boyle and the former Senator de Búrca, deserve commendation for bringing this issue to the fore, and the Labour Party for its amendment. I listened carefully to the debate and contributed on a previous occasion when the matter came before the House. This is a difficult issue to get right. There are intersecting issues of human dignity, patient autonomy and the whole question of the duty of care of medical professionals and what precise protections they enjoy as they seek to exercise their duty of care. Progress has been made with the amendment that has been accepted by the Green Party. It is an issue on which I hope there will be further debate in the other House. It is an important issue. There are people who are personally concerned by the issues we have discussed. There has been goodwill on both sides of the various arguments made. People are united around the desire to do the right thing by vulnerable people. Certainly progress has been made in the acceptance of the principle that people cannot be treated against their express wishes. There are other issues that remain for further careful consideration. I heard the Minister of State make similar comments to those made by her predecessor, the then Minister of State, John Moloney, that we have to look carefully at this issue as it is not an easy one to get right. So long as there is goodwill and a genuine desire on the part of Government to do right by the people involved, hopefully we will arrive at solutions that honour human dignity while allowing medical professionals to do the work they have to do.