'Put yourselves in my shoes' - Vicky Phelan calls for free vote on Dying with Dignity Bill

Vicky Phelan said: "What I am asking is to be given a choice, that is what I am asking from TDs." File image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

The Government has been called upon to grant a free vote on a bill seeking to allow terminally ill people to end their own lives.

At a press conference at Leinster House, Solidarity People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny and Labour leader Alan Kelly called for support for the Dying with Dignity Bill which will be introduced in the Dáil on Tuesday.

They were joined by cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan, Tom Curran (husband of the late Marie Fleming) and Gail O’Rourke who was acquitted of helping her friend end her own life.

Dying with dignity is an issue we as legislators need to deal with. Happy to support @Ginosocialist’s bill today. Important that we listen to voices like @phelanvicky on topics like this. pic.twitter.com/aRDN74kval

— Alan Kelly TD (@alankellylabour) September 14, 2020

Mr Kenny said the bill aims to give an empathic choice to those terminally ill people who have no chance of surviving or where palliative care will not work.

He said he fully understands people will have differing views on the sensitive issue, but said the bill is about starting a discussion on the merits of this legislation.

“I appeal to my fellow TDs to support the progress of this bill when it's due for debate later this year. 

"I’m calling on party leaders to allow a free vote /vote of conscience if there isn’t a clear party position to progress the bill,” he said. 

Assisted dying is not about ending life it’s about ending suffering when you no longer have the option of living.

In her appeal to TDs, Ms Phelan said: “I would ask all of them, all 160 TDs to put their opinions to one side and try to put themselves in my shoes, as a young mother with young children”.

“Palliative care does not always work. I have seen a number of people over the past two-and-a-half years who have died in a hospice. 

"It is great when it works but there are times when it doesn’t when there is a certain amount of suffering that no amount of pain management can get on top of. I don’t want my children to see me like that,” Ms Phelan said.

“What I am asking is to be given a choice, that is what I am asking from TDs. If they can, to have a free vote, this is an issue of conscience. It is very rigid,” she added.

Referring to her own depression, she said that if this law existed without safeguards she may have sought to use it, but she is backing it because there are rigid safeguards contained in the bill.

Mr Curran spoke movingly about his late wife Marie, his willingness to aid her in her choice and his work in drafting a previous incarnation of this bill, which former minister John Halligan introduced in 2015.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Curran said: “Here in Ireland we pride ourselves on our freedom to control our own lives but, if we care about the way we live, we must also care about the way we die. 

"In our compassionate Ireland we still insist that some people, often against their express wishes, have a prolonged and sometimes painful end of life.

The Right to Die on our own terms is possibly the last civil and human right to be given the consideration it deserves here in Ireland. 

"Even the Supreme Court of Ireland agreed that if it was in their power to grant this right to Marie they would but if this is a right that should have been available to one person then it should be available to every other person who finds themselves in similar circumstances,” he added.

Ms O’Rourke who was acquitted after she was charged with seeking to aid her friend Bernadette Ford in 2011.

She said: “This is about choice and a societal issue that needs to be discussed openly and honestly. I know if Bernadette was with us today, she would be willing us on to change the law.”

Daniel McConnell: Dying with Dignity law is worthy of consideration@PhelanVicky @Ginosocialist @JohnHalliganhttps://t.co/Rpg5XHG5oS

— Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) September 5, 2020

Mr Kelly said he was present as a show of solidarity with Mr Kenny and was glad his party is backing the bill. He added his voice to the calls for a free vote to be allowed.

The Dying with Dignity Bill 2020 would make provision for the assistance in achieving a dignified and peaceful end of life in a qualifying person and to provide for other related matters.

The rationale behind the Bill is to give to a person the legal and medical right of the authorisation of voluntary assisted dying where that person is suffering from a terminal illness.

If this Bill is enacted this would give a medical practitioner the legal right to provide assistance to a qualifying person to end his or her own life in accordance with the terms set out in the Act.