The Dáil voted on Wednesday evening in favour of noting the recommendations made by the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying in its final report.
76 TDs voted in favour, with 53 TDs voting No.
It’s important to clarify that Wednesday’s vote was not a vote on the issue of euthanasia/assisted suicide itself but involved members of the Dáil merely noting the contents of the recent report of the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying, which called for the introduction of euthanasia/assisted suicide in Ireland.
No question – it would have been preferable if a majority of TDs had voted No. It is clear from the remarks of many Oireachtas members in recent days that they haven’t reflected on or studied the extreme recommendations contained in the JCAD report.
In addition to reducing the value of human life and undermining anti-suicide campaigns, the introduction of euthanasia/assisted suicide in Ireland would have the impact of undercutting investment in palliative care and would inevitably lead to certain vulnerable groups feeling growing pressure to opt for euthanasia/assisted suicide, as shown by what has happened in the small number of countries that have gone down this troubling road.
Significantly the push for euthanasia/assisted suicide has been opposed by professional bodies such as the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland and the Irish Palliative Medicine Consultants Association.
We’ll all have to work extremely hard to ensure that the next Dáil (after the General Election) focuses on promoting assisted living, not assisted dying. There’s so much good and life-affirming work that needs to be done in this area and candidates in the upcoming General Election have a duty to state clearly where they stand on the issue so voters are left in no doubt with regard to their positions in advance of Election Day.
Credit to the 53 TDs who voted No on Wednesday evening! They understand the seriousness of the issue and how extreme and far-reaching the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying are, and the type of life-ending regime it would usher in if given effect in law.
See below how your local TDs voted.
