Three members of the Special Oireachtas Committee on ‘Assisted Dying’ have dissented from its final report and launched their own ‘Minority Report’ arguing against any legislative change.

Committee Chair Michael Healy-Rae, Independent Senator Ronán Mullen and Fianna Fáil TD for Longford Westmeath Robert Troy say the case for assisted suicide “has not been established, whereas the case against any change is overwhelming”.

“There are no lives not worth living,” the three dissenting voices say.

Meanwhile, the Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín TD said, as a human rights party, Aontú is fully opposed to this legislation as “all life should be protected and defended”.

He noted that the College of Psychiatrists and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland are both opposed to assisted suicide legislation.

“We also saw testimony from Elma Walsh, the mother of the late anti-suicide campaigner Donal Walsh. She talked about the drop in the suicide rate following his public appeal to young people not to take their own lives. I think there would be a huge contradiction in our approach to tackling suicide rates if we were to legalise assisted suicide or euthanasia”.

“Imagine being a volunteer for a suicide prevention organisation if this legislation was in place… would you be expected to recommend assisted dying to a terminally-ill suicidal person who calls the helpline?”