‘Very difficult’ for assisted dying committee to compile report

It will be “very, very difficult” for the assisted dying committee to reach a unanimous position, the chair of the committee TD Michael Healy-Rae has said.

Mr Healy-Rae acknowledged that it might be impossible to agree on a unanimous position.

The committee held its last public meeting on Tuesday and its 14 members will now draft their final report, due to be published on March 20.

Committee member Senator Rónán Mullen said he hoped his fellow committee members will heed the “overwhelming feedback of medical people and especially those involved in the provision of palliative care”, the majority of whom oppose the introduction of assisted suicide legislation.

“No credible medical representatives want a change in the law here, only a small and very unrepresentative group of activist doctors,” Senator Mullen said.

He warned that changing the law to legalise assisted suicide is “fraught with dangers and difficulties”, particularly for how it will affect the most vulnerable in society.