Gino Kenny spoke in support of legislating voluntary assisted dying, arguing for limited eligibility and strict safeguards. He said assisted dying should be available in certain circumstances but must not be expanded to include disability, mental health or age, and he will put the proposal to a vote on Wednesday.
Position and immediate aim
Gino Kenny set out his support for voluntary assisted dying as a regulated option for those at the end of life, stressing it should be available in certain circumstances described in the committee report. He rejected calls for unrestricted expansion and said he would be putting the recommendation to a vote on Wednesday.
Arguments and safeguards
He argued the measure is voluntary and not imposed on anyone, and criticised opponents who conflate assisted dying with suicide. He said the decision is "extremely fundamental and extremely difficult" for the person involved and insisted safeguards and eligibility limits are essential.
International comparisons cited in the debate
Kenny pointed to other jurisdictions to counter 'slippery slope' arguments, noting that Oregon has not expanded its scheme in 30 years, and referenced Victoria, the rest of Australia and New Zealand's referendum support. He also highlighted that, under current law, some people must travel to Switzerland to seek assisted dying.
Parliamentary outlook and context
He described the issue as complex but not necessarily divisive and expressed confidence that assisted dying will be legislated in Ireland in the coming years, saying there is public support and, in his view, a majority of TDs backing the committee's recommendation. He reiterated his long-standing campaigning for assisted living alongside support for voluntary assisted dying.
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and it was a good debate and a reflection on the report itself and different views in terms of this issue and unfortunately you know Deputy Toad Behan he's not here now he conflates the issue of assisted dying and suicide I think that's extremely unhelpful in terms of this issue and those that do that I think they do it deliberately which is really really really unfortunate and I just want to kind of put on the record that I'm not supportive of you know an expansion of you know people can avail of assisted dying under any circumstances I think in certain under disability under in terms of mental health or age assisted dying should not be available but it should be available in in certain circumstances which the report laid out and I think that's very very very reasonable if you look at different jurisdictions and this is where you know those that oppose assisted dying they say well you know once you put assisted dying in then it expands but if you look at Oregon it hasn't expanded in 30 years and where the committee looked at the kind of model uh was in uh Victoria in Australia and all of Australia now have uh has legislated for assisted dying in New Zealand uh three years ago there was actually there was actually a popular referendum in terms of uh you know they put it to the people they put it to the people of New Zealand do you support legislation around assisted dying and the clear majority supported assisted dying so that's very very important uh and it's very important in terms of eligibility and in terms of who can avail of assisted dying um because you have a ludicrous situation where uh some people in this country um and other countries know if they want uh avail of uh they want to uh avail of assisted dying they would have to go to switzerland and this has happened in numerous cases uh pretty really difficult circumstances where somebody can't a loved one cannot travel with that person because actually they could be prosecuted so it's very very antiquated in terms of uh in terms of uh legislation and as a person i've uh i suppose campaigned all of my life for assisted living you know i've you know i think this is a great concept uh assisted living is you know that's part of everybody that you know that that tries to make uh good for for the most of people for the most of people so assisted living is extremely important um but assisted dying is also important and it's a voluntary decision that's why it's called voluntary assisted dying this is not a um a decision that somebody is imposed on anybody you can never have that this is not a decision that's taken lightly by any means this is a decision that is uh extremely fundamental and extremely difficult for that person so i say to people that oppose assisted dying in a situation where you have a loved one that is coming to the end of their life who is to say and regardless who you are who is to say to that person well you have to live for the next number of months in a very difficult circumstances who who has the right to say that to that person that they have to go through every single moment of that uh difficult uh ending nobody the only person that really really has to say uh is that person in that circumstances and that's why i think uh assisted dying should be legislated for just finally uh uh uh chair um look at this is a a complex debate it's even it's it it's i know i know that's why i'm finishing early i'm going to conclude in 20 seconds and then i let john in is that okay okay okay okay um so yeah this is a complex issue uh and hopefully it's not divisive issue uh and i hope it can be legislated in the next all hopefully i can come back and you know push this issue and if i'm not if i don't get back if i'm not looking to get back then hopefully somebody else but i really do believe that you know assisted dying will be legislated in ireland in the next number of years it's it's inevitable that that will happen there's public support for it i actually believe there's a majority of tds that actually support this recommendation that's why i will be putting this to a vote on wednesday thank you you you you you you you
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