[ad_1]
THE GOVERNMENT MUST introduce an amendment to the Dying with Dignity Act that would mean that a special committee of the Oireachtas would examine the issue of assisted death.
Today’s Cabinet decision could delay approval of the bill for up to a year, if the amendment passes in a Dáil vote.
The Dying with Dignity Bill 2020 seeks to legislate to allow medical professionals to help terminally ill people end their own lives if that is their stated intention.
The bill is being introduced by MPs Gino Kenny, Mick Barry, Richard Boyd Barrett, Paul Murphy and Bríd Smith and will go before the Dáil this Thursday.
The government has now confirmed that it will introduce an amendment to the bill to allow a special committee of the Oireachtas to examine the issue.
The government agreed that cabinet members will be obliged to support the amendment.
Fine Gael’s parliamentary party will debate whether managers from other parties not in the cabinet would get a free vote on the amendment. The backbenchers of Fianna Fáil will have the right to vote freely on the amendment.
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan suggested last week that he would allow a vote of conscience on the proposed legislation.
The same was said about the 8th Amendment referendum and it worked very well and led to the changes most of the public wanted. Assisted suicide is a very sensitive and complex subject, it should be discussed and debated thoroughly and not rushed. Never fear dialogue and debate. https://t.co/WPYqNgBaJt
– Lisa Chambers (@lichamber) September 29, 2020
The proposed legislation also has the backing of Sinn Féin, Labor and the Social Democrats.
Speaking this morning, Sinn Féin’s TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said the match “would not want this to go to waste.”
“I think it is very unfortunate, it has been delayed so long, there have been some very courageous activists who have raised this issue and it is an issue that is extremely, extremely difficult for all of us,” he said.
However, the rural independents today spoke out against the bill.
“I’m fundamentally opposed to it, I think it’s a slippery slope,” said Mattie McGrath TD.
“We’ve had these debates before on controversial life topics, you know what I’m talking about. They were supposed to be safe, legal, and rare, and we saw it rise to 6,666 in 2019 alone. This is an elusive and cunning way of trying to change the values of life. “
Mattie McGrath says she won’t support the Dying with Dignity bill this week, calling it a “slippery slope” and “intriguing” legislation.
All four members speak against. pic.twitter.com/DB7iagAdyZ
– Rónán Duffy (@ronanduffy_) September 29, 2020
The idea of a Citizens Assembly was discussed earlier, but it is understood that Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said that organizing such an event in the middle of a pandemic would be difficult.
Gino Kenny TD has said that he is not opposed to the idea of an Assembly, but has pointed out that politicians are elected to legislate.
He said delaying the issue to a special committee or a Citizens Assembly is simply “kicking the can” in the future.
He said that there are situations where palliative care and palliative care will not improve certain situations and certain diseases, adding that a person must have a choice.
“This is totally unnecessary and a delaying tactic by the government,” Kenny said.
“The committee stage of the bill process would allow for testimonies on the bill and this would allow for a democratic discussion on the issue.
“We are legislators and we must address these difficult issues in the democratic forums that we have in the Casas del Oireachtas. The government must withdraw its amendment. ”
– With a report by Rónán Duffy
No news is bad news
Support the magazine
your contributions help us keep delivering the stories that are important to you
Support us now
[ad_2]