The Irish Hospice Foundation has reiterated its opposition to assisted suicide ahead of its biennial conference, starting tomorrow and running over two days.

The chief executive of the IHF, Sharon Foley, told The Irish Times: “I can’t see it [assisted suicide] happening in Irish hospices, no. The palliative care movement has come from a movement of dignity and comforting people at the end of life. So it is anathema to them to be any way cutting across that.”

She said she wanted an “informed debate” about the matter and certain questions need to be asked.

She listed examples: “Have we got sufficient facilities for people to die at home? What facilities are there in nursing homes and hospitals? How are schools supported to help children through grief? What impact does complicated grief, where people may not be able to go back to work, have on the economy?”