A former Justice Minister for Fine Gael has taken a strong line in opposition to an Oireachtas Committee’s recommendation that ‘assisted suicide’ should be legalised.
On Wednesday the Oireachtas Special Committee on ‘Assisted Dying’ launched a report recommending that assisted suicide should be made available to people with six months to live, or with 12 months to live if suffering from a neuro-generative condition.
Three members of the committee, including its Chairman, Michael Healy Rae, TD, dissented from its findings and launched their own ‘Minority Report’.
In response, Fine Gael TD, Charlie Flanagan, wrote, “I will not be supporting legislation on euthanasia despite my party @FineGael’s position. Instead I will continue to advocate for assisted living, more palliative care beds, Home care teams & packages & resource specialist help thru hospice care”.
He added: “I cannot support this proposal to introduce euthanasia to Ireland for many reasons but the absence of due process is striking. This initiative is neither contained in the Programme for Government agreed between the three governing parties nor in my party @FineGael’s manifesto”
