TDs ‘lack courage to grant a right to die’ Tragic Marie Fleming’s partner wants law change

NO political party in the Dáil has had the courage to bring in laws to allow assisted suicide, right-todie campaigner Tom Curran has said.

Mr Curran is the partner of the late MS sufferer Marie Fleming, who failed in 2013 in a Supreme Court challenge to the State’s prohibition on assisted suicide.

He said he has spent two years working on a Private Member’s Bill which was presented to the Dáil by junior minister John Halligan – but has now been withdrawn. Mr Curran wants the Dáil justice committee to recommend legislating to allow for assisted suicide for those with ‘life-disabling’ illnesses.

Mr Halligan’s Bill would have allowed family members, with the agreement of doctors, to Campaigner: Tom Curran help a loved one in pain with a terminal illness to die, without fear of criminal prosecution.

Mr Curran said yesterday: ‘None of the parties have had the courage to tackle this. The closest we had was the presentation of a Private Member’s Bill by John Halligan... The person I loved, Marie, suffered from MS and when she saw it was taking more and more control of her life, she decided she actually was not going to let MS take control. She knew she faced the likelihood of a prolonged death.

‘She was never suicidal. When she explained her wish it seemed like the most natural thing to want. It was only then we discovered that what she wanted was not easy to achieve.’

Asked what parameters would be in place, Mr Curran said the illness would have to be ‘lifedisabling’, and that limiting it to terminal illnesses would make the law too narrow. On safeguards, he said there would be measures such as the approval of two doctors. If there is doubt about a person’s mental capacity to decide they would have to be seen by psychiatrist, he said.

Mr Curran added: ‘I know that no safeguards will be perfect.’ However, he said that ‘there is more likely to be abuse in an unregulated system’.

Regina McQuillan, a palliative care consultant who does not back assisted suicide, told the committee: ‘I think there are many vulnerable people in our society, and although there are safeguards they do not always work... This is a severe threat to people living with disability.’

A spokesman for Mr Halligan said: ‘The Dying With Dignity Bill 2015 was moved by Minister Halligan as a Private Member’s Bill during the 31st Dáil but unfortunately it was not selected for debate.

‘Minister Halligan did not withdraw the Bill from the lottery. However, as a Minister of State in the 32nd Dáil, Minister Halligan is no longer a Private Member and hence cannot propose a Private Member’s Bill.

‘Minister Halligan remains a supporter of “right to die” legislation and has been exploring other mechanisms by which the Dying With Dignity Bill could be brought to the Dáil, including the possibility of another TD moving the Bill.’