Brandon Scott
A healthcare chaplain has said that the “concern, worry, and anxiety” around the issue of assisted suicide and euthanasia after the Dáil’s recent vote to acknowledge a report that calls on the Government to legalise assisted dying in certain restricted circumstances, demands inclusion as an item on the election agenda.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Dr Margaret Naughton said that Irish politicians’ shift in attitude to assisted suicide and euthanasia has become “very concerning” for those who deal with end-of-life care on a regular basis and ambiguities are only heightening fears about the ultimate goal of the overwhelming majority of TDs in the Dáil.
“It’s very concerning to put it mildly because in a healthcare setting we value human life and we do all that we can to attend to the dignity and the respect of each of the people that we encounter so anything that would threaten or run counter to that is obviously very problematic and concerning,” she said.
“I think there’s a lot of ambiguity out there and there’s a lot of concern amongst people. There’s a lot of language being used around this and a lot of concern about where this is ultimately going to lead us.”
Dr Naughton said that the practicalities around the provision and regulation of assisted suicide and euthanasia, of which there are many, are causing concern about “what the future trajectory of this is” and one of the ways clarity can be provided is if the topic becomes a central item on the election agenda.
“People have very strong opinions on both sides of the argument, there’s definitely some concern about what the future trajectory of this is … Where is it going to lead us in terms of day-to-day reality of being cared for in a hospital or a healthcare facility or also the reality of what’s going to happen a loved one if they find themselves in a compromised situation or facing a terminal diagnosis?,” she said.
“So there’s a lot of concern, worry, and anxiety out there so people need direction, they need insight, they need clarity. It needs to be part of the election agenda. It needs to be discussed more and it needs to be supported more. It also needs to be explored in a very real way with people and recognised authentically that people have concerns around this.”