Irish Examiner view: Pressing issue of assisted death must be faced

Court  decides to allow woman’s death

Ms Justice Mary Irvine ruled that artificial life support to be withdrawn from a young woman in a persistent vegetative state for almost 10 years.

The pandemic underlined that a happy death, surrounded by loving family members and friends, is a gift not granted to everyone. All too many loved people died in the last year or so without those normal comforts.

On the other side of that coin, many people in unchanging health situations because of lethal injury or terminal sickness are unable to make decisions that recognise the inevitable conclusion of their situation.