Intolerable and hopeless (meaning without prospect of improvement) suffering is an eligibility criterion for euthanasia/assisted suicide in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Canada. Despite having been used as such a criterion for decades (at least in the Netherlands; shorter periods in other countries), it is still widely debated as to its meaning and applicability as an […]
Since Canada’s law on euthanasia and assisted suicide came into effect four years ago, health-care costs have dropped millions of dollars, according to a Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) report. The report on assisted dying calculates that since becoming legal on June 17, 2016, Canada’s health-care costs have dropped C$86.9 million. “The total net reduction in costs […]
On Monday, October, 13, Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge announced that the Dutch government will amend its euthanasia law to permit child euthanasia — an announcement that came only three days after the news that the issue of child euthanasia had divided the Netherlands coalition government. The NL Times reported that de Jonge said the new law […]
Euthanasia is currently legal for Dutch children over 12 who are given parental consent, and for babies up to a year old whose parents choose for them to be euthanised due to severe pain. 16 and 17-year olds do not need to attain parental consent, but must simply inform them of their decision.
Despite extreme social liberalisation across the West in recent years, assisted suicide remains illegal in most of the world, including much of Europe. According to euthanasiadebate.org, assisted suicide and euthanasia are illegal in 92% of voting jurisdictions around the world to date. In fact, Assisted Suicide and euthanasia bills have been defeated around the world […]
Peadar Tóibín has slammed TDs for voting for Assisted Suicide and then, within minutes, voting against against disability services re-opening. Deputy Tóibín said: “This bill on assisted suicide was brought forward by Gino Kenny TD in the middle of a global pandemic in which we are being told to protect each other, the vulnerable and […]
Among the roadside billboards canvassing votes for political parties and their candidates in New Zealand’s triennial election on October 17 is one announcing starkly: “LETHAL DOSE with NO assessment for coercion required.” Below that it asks: “Is the End of Life Choice Act safe?” It’s the kind of silly question you have to ask when […]
Michael Collins & Mattie McGrath, TDs, “People shouldn’t be made to feel a burden”. TDs on opposing the Assisted Suicide bill #gript
Wednesday’s vote on Assisted Suicide in the Dáíl was greeted with dismay by many people living with a terminal illness and their families. The Bill allows doctors to help people with a terminal illness to die by suicide. Critics point out that a suicide request could be made after a diagnosis is received and that […]
As the New Zealand euthanasia referendum approaches, voters could be helped by looking at the experience in other countries before making up their minds on this complex topic. At the end of July, Czechia became the latest country to reject the legalisation of euthanasia following similar rejections in Portugal and Finland. The opposition to the […]
Suicide is a problem in Ireland. It is one not often spoken of. It is rarely reported in explicit terms that someone has died of suicide, but we learn to read between the lines in the news reports. It is one issue where this is no divide between left and right, progressive or conservative. Everyone […]
The Government has temporarily kicked the issue of “assisted suicide” to a yet-to-be configured consultation process through a Dáil committee. It will then come back to be considered and approved some time over the next year. Predictably enough the far left sponsors of the Bill and their Sinn Féin tail were not happy about this. […]