Alison O'Connor: It's time for a dignified debate about assisted dying, before it’s too late

Charlie Bird and Vicky Phelan are talking about it. Let's take the lead from them, and discuss death with honesty and kindness

Vicky Phelan's appearance with Ryan Tubridy on 'The Late Late Show' moved us all, and we should also heed the respectful and compassionate tweet exchange between Vicky and former RTÉ journalist Charlie Bird. 

One of the best-known people in Ireland reaching out on social media to another, even better known person, on the subject of impending death does seems very 2021 somehow.

As we struggle with a seemingly never-ending pandemic, thoughts of our mortality are more in our face than ever. A death from Covid in a hospital intensive care unit — as we’ve heard it described — is not something to be wished for anyone.