Irish Minister calls for a public forum on assisted suicide and euthanasia bill The Christmas and New Year holidays are an interesting time for politics and politicians. Usually newspaper columns and electronic media are taken over by holiday events and other 'good news' stories. Even when venturing into politics, journalists are most often publishing reflective 'the year that was' stories rounded out with party leaders good wishes to all.It is also a really good time for political parties to release those really uncomfortable and even embarrassing 'mea culpas' on poor performances, errors in judgement, or even minor scandals in the hope that the story is quickly lost with a minimum of embarrassment or discomfort. Continue reading

Paul Russell Irish Deputy, John Halligan tabled his Dying with Dignity Bill 2015 in the Irish Lower House (Dail) on the 15th of December.Halligan had been telling the Irish Press that a bill was imminent for much of this last year claiming that he had been working with Exit International's European representative, Tom Curran and two solicitors to draft the new bill. Continue reading

The Irish Times is reporting today that Irish Independent MP, John Halligan, plans to table his assisted suicide bill in the Dáil (parliament) 'within weeks'.The threat of an attempt at legalising assisted suicide has been building for some time. The first significant attempt at law reform came via a Court case brought by MS sufferer, Marie Fleming who was seeking assurances that her husband, Tom Curran, would not be prosecuted if he assisted her in her suicide, claiming that her disability rendered her unable to act herself and that, therefore, she was being discriminated against under the Irish Constitution. It was very similarr to the successful British Court case of fellow MS sufferer, Debbie Purdy in 2009 that forced the UK Public Prosecutor to issue guidelines for the circumstances under which an accompanying relative or friend to Dignitas in Zurich would not face the law.Marie Fleming's case failed on appeal.In April this year, Gail O'Rorke was tried in the Irish criminal court and found not guilty of an offence against the Irish laws prohibiting assisted suicide in relation to another MS sufferer, Bernadette Forde.In June this year, Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick, director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition International held a conference in Dublin that included the timely launch of HOPE Ireland, in preparation for the pending debate. Fitzpatrick said recently: "We must oppose legalising euthanasia/assisted suicide for reasons of the terrible consequences that have come where laws have been passed. Even a minimal scratch at the surface reveals all the dangers inherent in such laws. The evidence is overwhelming and that is where the 'big' conversation needs to be honest."John Halligan seems to be in agreement, telling the Irish Times that we need a, "dignified, compassionate and thoughtful debate". Continue reading

It was a great privilege to be invited to be present at the launch of the new organisation, HOPE Ireland and to speak at their inaugural conference in Dublin on the 6th of June. Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick, director of HOPE Ireland, convened the conference in the wake of recent announcements that a bill will soon be tabled in the Dail (Parliament) in the nation's firstt attempt through the parliament at legalising assisted suicide.Alex Schadenberg, head of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition International opened the conference and set the scene of the troubling history of both euthanasia and assisted suicide in the few jurisdictions where these practices are approved in law. Continue reading

Let's have a big conversation in Ireland - open, honest and balanced By Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick, Director - EPC, International and HOPE IrelandBrendan O'Connor has thought about Bernadette Forde's death more deeply than most. (Ireland's Sunday Independent 3 May 2015), though his conclusions are still wrong. Continue reading

By Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick - Director of EPC - International and HOPE Ireland. Emer O'Kelly writes emotionally in the Irish Sunday Independent about Marie Fleming.Marie was my friend and colleague in Swansea University for several years. At times we 'colluded' - the Northern Irish Two against the world - in the nicest and fun way of course. Continue reading

  The European Co-ordinator for Exit International, Tom Curran told Irish newspapers recently that he is designing a 'right-to-die' bill that he hopes to have introduced into the Irish Parliament by the end of the year.Tom Curran's wife, Marie Fleming, an Irish University lecturer and MS sufferer had earlier applied to the Irish Courts for a judgement that would have meant that Curran would not have been prosecuted had he assisted her to die in Switzerland. Both the High Court challenge and the Supreme Court Appeal failed and Ms Fleming passed away from natural causes in December 2013. Continue reading

  The court case of Irish MS sufferer, Marie Fleming is heart wrenching. She has a degenerative condition that progressively reduces her mobility.  Continue reading

  The following article was written by the Campaign Director of the Care Not Killing Alliance and published on  Continue reading

  By Peter Saunders, Care Not Killing Campaign Director - March 1, 2013  Continue reading