The Labour Party is fully supporting an assisted-suicide bill, due to be debated in the Dáil next week.

The private members’ bill, being tabled by Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny and originally designed by former minister John Halligan, would empower medical doctors to euthanise terminally ill people.

The bill faces stiff opposition from the Government, but is being strongly backed by cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan.

Alan Kelly, the Labour leader, said the idea of kicking the issue into the Constitutional Convention is not an acceptable option.

“I believe we as a political class need to deal with this quicker than many people realise. Gino’s bill is good but it needs tailoring and I am sure he is open to that,” he said.

“It is down to us in the Dáil to deal with it as legislators. Yes this will take a considerable amount of research and time but it is the next big issue we need to address,” he said.