Q&A: What happens now the Committee on Assisted Dying has made its recommendations?
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On Wednesday, the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying recommended that the Government introduce legislation that will allow for assisted dying, in certain restricted circumstances.
In 2021, a recommendation was made that the committee be formed to examine the topic of assisted dying after the Dying with Dignity Bill that was put forward by People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny was examined by the Justice Committee.
If enacted, this bill would give medical practitioners the legal right to assist a qualifying person in ending their life.
The blanket term is used for all cases where medication is voluntarily administered to hasten a patient’s death. Assisted suicide is when the patient administers the medication themselves, whereas euthanasia is used when a doctor or health worker administers the medication.
It heard from various organisations and individuals including the Irish Hospice Foundation, the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland, the Irish Association for Palliative Care, the Humanist Association of Ireland, the Samaritans, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, as well as the HSE.
Overall, 38 recommendations were made after it heard evidence from various witnesses from legal, medical, civic, and international experts.
The committee met over nine months and deliberated over 25 public meetings.
It recommended that the Government introduce legislation to allow for assisted dying.
It also recommends that only a person diagnosed with a disease, illness, or medical condition that is:
- Both incurable and irreversible;
- Advanced, progressive, and will cause death;
- Expected to cause death within six months (12 months in the case of a person with a neurodegenerative disease);
- Cause suffering to the person that cannot be relieved in a manner that person finds tolerable.
Be eligible to be assessed for assisted dying.
No, the committee agreed that “no legislative or policy changes be made”.
It looked at the topic of assisted dying in general, rather than draft legislation.
The committee recommended that palliative care and the operation of assisted dying should operate completely separately and independently of each other.
It also recommended that if a person inquires about assisted dying following a terminal diagnosis, they should be informed of and assisted in accessing all available end-of-life care options, including palliative care.
- Chair, Independent TD Michael Healy Rae
- Vice-chair, People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny
- Green Party TD Patrick Costello
- Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane
- Sinn Féin TD Pa Daly
- Fine Gael TD Emer Higgins
- Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell
- Fianna Fáil TD John Lahart
- Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy
- Labour Senator, Annie Hoey
- Independent Senator Rónán Mullen
- Fianna Fáil Senator Fiona O’Loughlin
- Independent Senator Lynne Ruane
- Fine Gael Senator Mary Seery-Kearney
Yes – 9: Costello, Cullinane, Farell, Higgins, Kenny, Lahart, Hoey, Ruane, Seery-Kearney
No – 3: Healy-Rae, Troy, Mullen
Abstain – 1: Daly
The report will be sent forward to the Justice Minister.
If Cabinet backs the plan, any legislation would need to clear before the Dáil and the Seanad, before the next general election, otherwise it falls.
A minority report will also be put forward by two committee members, TD Robert Troy and Senator Ronan Mullen.