Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It will be taken in this House on 10 November. That legislation will ensure that Senator Mary Ann O’Brien will be able to make those decisions for herself. Bringing it through the Lower House taught me that one can never assume what someone else wants. By the way, I met the group Senator Mary Ann O’Brien referred to last week and some progress was made in enhancing the service it will be able to provide.Sometimes there are people in that circle who will not allow that movement to happen and the assisted decision-making (capacity) legislation will allow people to make those decisions for themselves because it will be an offence to coerce, or to put undue pressure on, someone to make a decision contrary to his or her own best interests.

I hope the future is bright but given debates such as this, it has to be bright. At least we are thinking about this. God knows we did not do that in the past. I agree we need to change our focus and we need to ensure that when people make a choice and outline their will and preference, we are able to support that. However, I am nervous that we would assume what people want. Some people will want the security of a nursing home and long-stay care and others will not. It is not what I would choose but we should ensure they are facilitated. I congratulate the Senator for tabling the motion. The debate is important and it is also important that we were open enough to have it because, at the end of the day, we are discussing our future and we should not assume that those who are described as "older people" are somehow some kind of alien species and the rest of us will not reach that stage when we know that with great good fortune we will. I read Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the Endand I agree entirely with the opening sentence. Every morning one steps out of bed, it is a roll of dice as to whether one will make it back there safely that night. That changes one's view of the world.