Dáil votes to accept report recommending legislating for assisted suicide

The Dáil has on Wednesday night voted by a majority in favour of accepting the final Oireachtas report which recommends legislating for assisted suicide. The vote in favour of the motion will not bring about immediate legislative change, however it means that the pro-euthanasia report has been ‘noted’ by the government.

While a number of government TDs opposed the motion, strong support from Sinn Féin, People Before Profit, Labour and the Social Democrats saw the report accepted by a majority.

76 TDs voted in favour, and 53 against, after the three coalition parties allowed a free vote on the issue, on the grounds that it was a matter of conscience 

The Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying, which held its first public meeting in June 2023 after over six months of committee hearings, released its final report last March, which included 38 recommendations geared towards legislation.

The report, which will now be ‘noted’ by the government, recommended that assisted suicide be legislated for in cases where a person with an incurable illness is expected to die within six months, with this being extended to 12 months when a person has been diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease.

It coincides with the Dáil’s passing with the Hate Crime law, in what has been perceived as a final push to pass legislation before the general election.

Whilst the Committee recommended legislation to allow assisted suicide, not all members of the committee backed the recommendations, with Committee chair Michael Healy-Rae, Robert Troy and Rónán Mullen issuing a minority report at the time. 

In all, the committee made 38 recommendations, including that the Government introduce legislation allowing for assisted dying, in certain restricted circumstances, and for adults aged 18 and over.

The text of the motion is “That Dáil Éireann shall take note of the Report of the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying entitled Final Report of the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying, copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 21st March, 2024″.

The report backing a change in the law was opposed by a number of government ministers, including Peter Burke, Norma Foley, and former minister Simon Coveney.

The document was also rejected by Aontu’s Peadar Toibin, whose party said that legislation would “put pressure on thousands of older, vulnerable people who feel they are a burden.”

“It would cross a rubicon that could see access allowed to children and for non-fatal conditions,” Aontu said in a statement. Tonight, the party said that the final report had passed “with the help of Sinn Fein, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael TDs.”

Ahead of the vote, a Fine Gael spokesman said that “as is the case for issues of conscience Fine Gael TDs will have a free vote on this. This is a report of a committee as opposed to a vote on legislation.”

Fianna Fáil also allowed TDs to support the motion, with leader Micheál Martin confirming last week that TDs would have a free vote on “issues to do with life”, or issues of conscience. The Green Party also came out in favour of accepting the report, urging its TDs to support it.

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Maria Maynes

  

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This article was first published on Gript and is printed here with permission

  

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