Calls continue for assisted dying legislation 

By Darren J. Prior 

Speaking to Dublin People, Janie Lazar from End of Life Ireland has expressed her strong disappointment that the issue of legislating for assisted dying in Ireland has not progressed by way of Oireachtas Éireann since last year.   

Early last year an Oireachtas committee chaired by Michael Healy-Rae issued a report calling for the Government to legislate for assisted dying in Ireland.

Despite Deputy Healy-Rae being personally against the idea.   

According to Janie Lazar, she and End of Life Ireland are “very disappointed”.   

“People are contacting us regularly to ask why our Government has not included Voluntary Assisted Dying in the Programme for Government,” she said.   

“It’s extraordinary how much you learn about politics in the process of advocacy”.   

In June 2023 The Business Post published an opinion poll carried out by Red C that revealed that 76% of Irish people want assisted dying to be brought in in Ireland.   

According to Janie:  

“The majority of the public want this and this figure is pretty consistent throughout the world.

“But our politicians for whatever reason have gone absolutely quiet on this. And not just End of Life Ireland but many of the public are extremely disappointed that this issue is being ignored”.   

According to Janie last year’s Oireachtas report published in March of last year on assisted dying with its 38 recommendations has “laid dormant”.   

It is now eleven years since Marie Fleming died and the Supreme Court judgement saying that the Oireachtas can legislate on this issue without a referendum.   

“All of the building blocks are there. And what we want to see now is an implementation group set up to involve the key stakeholders to progress this issue”.   

If Oireachtas members are worried that they are going to fall out of favour with the public if they legislate on this issue, Janie says that “we would say – set up a Citizens Assembly.   

“Canvass the public opinion and concerns in that. Because I am pretty sure if they did that then the progression of legislation appropriate to what people need, want and deserve would be smoother”.   

Asked as to whether it will take media coverage of the issue of legislating for assisted dying being legislated for in other countries over the medium term for the Irish Government to seriously consider the issue again Janie said:   

“I think that is exactly the case. The Isle of Man, Jersey and UK including Scotland are progressing this legislation now and at the moment we are the outliers.    

“Things are moving on.

“International movement on this and creation of legislation I think will hopefully oblige our politicians to bring this back on the agenda”.