State blocks will bequest to right-to-die activists

THE State has moved to stop four right-to-die activists benefiting financially from the will of the first person known to have committed assisted suicide in Ireland.

Rosemary Toole-Gilhooley, who died over three years ago, left what has been described as a substantial amount of money to four people, all based in North America, to fund work carried out by their right-to-die organisations.

Three of those are the Rev George Exoo, who still faces charges here of assisting Ms Toole-Gilhooley’s suicide; Derek Humphrey, the author of several books on voluntary euthanasia and who helped his wife to die; and Evelyn Martens, acquitted last year in Canada on charges of helping two people to die.