Dying with Dignity bill moves to next stage after being passed in Dáil

At the launch of Dying with Dignity Bill 2020, a Bill that seeks to allow for a "dignified and peaceful" end of life with medical and regulatory oversight at Leinster House, Dublin. 

The Dying With Dignity bill will move to committee stage having been passed in the Dáil.

The bill, proposed by People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny, was given a free vote by the government and passed by 81 votes to 71. 

It will move to the third stage of drafting, where it will be discussed by Oireachtas committees.

A government amendment which would have sent the bill to an all-party committee for 12 months was defeated.

The bill would allow those over 18 who cannot recover from their illness to make provision to receive a dignified death.

It would require two medical practitioners, including one independent doctor, to agree that the person meets the criteria.

It has been supported by cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan, who has pleaded with TDs to afford her a dignified death.

This evening she tweeted: "THANK YOU to ALL 81 TDs who voted for the #dyingwithdignitybill to go to the next stage.

"I cannot thank (Gino Kenny), (Bríd Smith)  and (People Before Profit)  enough for proposing the Bill.

"To Labour, Sinn Féin, The Social Democrats for supporting it all the way. To ALL Green Party  TDs. Thank you.

"To the 10 Fine Gael and 4 Fianna Fáil TDs who voted with their conscience, a massive THANK YOU Finally, to the Irish people who supported this Bill and contacted TDs and made this possible, I thank you most sincerely.

"There is a long way to go and the Bill will require lots of scrutiny and amendments to ensure that vulnerable patients and medical practitioners are protected BUT today is a good day for democracy."