The chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Assisted Dying, Michael Healy-Rae, has said he believes it will be “very very difficult” to secure a consensus position by next month’s deadline for publishing a final report.
He said: “The report might be based on a majority, with a minority expressing their view too.”
The Committee has been examining over the past nine months whether Ireland should legalise assisted suicide, or euthanasia, for terminally ill people here.
The final public hearing is scheduled for 13 February, after which the cross-party group of nine TDs and five senators will draft their final report and publish it on 20 March.
It is open to the Committee to recommend no change; propose legislation; recommend a Citizens’ Assembly; or suggest that a plebiscite is held.
Deputy Gino Kenny of People Before Profit said: “I feel in principle a majority of those on the Committee empathise and support assisted dying in specific circumstances.”
PBP TD for Dublin Mid-West added: “I really hope that the committee can reflect public opinion and make a recommendation of legislative change on assisted dying in Ireland.”
However, Independent Senator Ronan Mullen said while the Committee hearings have been wide ranging, he expressed concern that they “… have not explored in depth the effectiveness of any safeguards”.
He said: “What was most striking at the hearings was the consistent international testimony of how euthanasia and assisted dying regimes can, and do, freewheel out of control.”
Labour Senator Annie Hoey said Committee members have made valiant efforts to do the best they can with one of the most profound questions ever to come before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
She said: “I think the Committee has really tried to be as thorough and as investigative as possible, in the time afforded to us.”
Fianna Fáil deputy John Lahart, said many Committee members experienced “oscillating responses to witness testimony”.
He added: “These final few weeks, as we come to drafting a report, will be interesting.”
Once the report is completed, the Coalition government will have to decide whether to adopt the Committee’s recommendation.
