ON 7 OCTOBER, a landmark bill was voted to committee stage in the Dáil.
Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny’s Dying With Dignity Bill was passed by 81 votes to 71. The proposed legislation would permit assisted dying in limited circumstances, allowing medical professionals to help some terminally ill patients to end their own lives.
If it becomes law, Ireland will have followed a small number of countries around the world in legalising the practice.
On this week’s podcast, our reporter Stevie McDermott – who has written extensively on the topic – talks us through how the bill made it to this stage.
He speaks to presenter Sinéad O’Carroll about why this was a somewhat unexpected bill, how it got to the stage it did, and the importance of the free vote. He also gives an insight into how other countries treat assisted dying, and how their legislation differs from what’s proposed in Ireland.
Background reading:
- Legislation: The text of the Bill
- Explainer: Everything you need to know about the assisted dying bill set to come before the Dáil
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From a social ‘evil’ to Supreme Court scrutiny: the long journey to Ireland’s landmark assisted dying vote
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Our ‘last human right’ or a ‘slippery slope’? Inside the debate on assisted dying ahead of today’s Dáil vote
The Explainer / SoundCloud
This episode was put together by presenter Sinéad O’Carroll, producer Aoife Barry, producer and technical operator Nicky Ryan, and executive producer Christine Bohan. The guest was reporter Stevie McDermott.
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