A group of Doctors who are opposed to recommendations regarding assisted suicide recently made to the Oireachtas are holding a public meeting to discuss their concerns.
A number of guest speakers from the medical field will be presenting their concerns with assisted suicide and euthanasia at the public meeting at the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny.
The meeting gets underway at 7:30pm on Tuesday evening, April the 9th.
It will be chaired by Dr. Murrough Birmingham, GP and feature representations from Professor Ken Mulpeter, Consultant Geriatrician, Dr. Averil Fountain, Palliative Care Consultant and Ms. Majella Sweeney, Director of Nursing.
Prof. Mulpeter says that this meeting is to “raise public awareness of the implications of the recommendations of the Dail Committee to the Oireachtais to legislate for assisted suicide.”.
He states that they “…are also concerned about the changes in the recent Medical Council Ethical guidelines where the prohibition on killing was removed. We are strongly opposed to the introduction of assisted suicide in Ireland and are very concerned about the impact on medical practice and patients in the future if legislation is enacted to facilitate assisted suicide.”
Sarah Brennan, GP, is also a part of the group of medical professionals concerned with the potential introduction of assisted dying into law.
“It is telling that The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, The Royal College of Psychiatrists, The Irish Palliative Medicine Consultant’s Association and the Society of Physicians are all opposed to the introduction of Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide legislation in Ireland.”
Continuing, Ms Brennan said: “Similarly, it is telling that the Danish National Council on Ethics recently made a recommendation to its government against euthanasia and assisted dying, saying: ‘The only thing that will be able to protect the lives and respect of those who are most vulnerable in society will be a ban without exception (of Euthanasia and Assisted suicide)’.”
“As a GP I understand this deeply, and worry that our most vulnerable patients will see this legislation not as a choice to die, but as a duty to die, to relieve their families and society of the burden of their care.”
This article was previously published with an incorrect date and time for the meeting. We apologise for any confusion caused.
