Brandon Scott
Commenting in response to the recent decision made by the Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying to recommend legalising assisted suicide and euthanasia in Ireland, Dr Miriam Colleran, consultant in palliative care at Naas Hospital and a member of the Hope Ireland group, a coalition of medical professionals and disability rights advocates who aim to bring informed perspectives to the debate around euthanasia and assisted suicide in Ireland, has said that the risks posed by assisted dying are “enormous”.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Dr Colleran said that she was “surprised” that the committee had dramatically deviated from the analysis of other European counterparts. “We’re surprised that the majority of committee members have taken such a different opinion to the Danish Ethics Committee which recently published a report compiled by 16 of 17 members that safeguards could not be introduced to make assisted dying, euthanasia and/or assisted suicide safe.”
Dr Colleran also voiced her concerns in relation to how the provision of assisted suicide and euthanasia may add increased pressure on those who are ill or disabled as there may be an expectation on the person to opt for them because they feel they might be a burden on family members. “The evidence shows that people seek assisted dying in particular because of feelings of burden,” she said. A compassionate society gives supports and is also aware of risks. The risk with assisted dying is the inappropriate death of a person. That’s an enormous risk. We are concerned about people feeling pressurised overtly, subtly or from within themselves to avail of assisted dying, euthanasia or assisted suicide.
