Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

-----run workshops and so on to help people end their lives in circumstances where they are in pain, suffering or very often in fear. I would contrast the approach of such organisations with the wonderful work being done by the hospice movement. We frequently see that it is the people in the hospice movement who are involved in the giving in hospice care who are most opposed to the despairing approach being promoted by organisations such as Exit International. Euthanasia rather perversely comes from the words "good death". For many years in Ireland people were encouraged to pray for a happy death. A happy death and a good death is a death where pain is well managed and loved ones are present.

It is one of the tragedies of this country that appropriate hospice care is still not available to thousands of people. Approximately 2,500 people are deprived of the hospice care they need each year. For our population we should have approximately 450 hospice beds; we have about one third of that in operation. It is not just about inpatient beds. It is about all the services the hospice can provide including home care, outpatient day care and respite. Where there is good and effective hospice care many people would have-----