Dear Sir,
In his correspondence on March 18th, Dr. Niall Feeney conveniently sidestepped some vital concerns in his otherwise reasonable and compelling message. His somewhat innocent belief that with ‘proper checks and balances’ the initial legislation for assisted dying wouldn’t take a gradual turn to a more liberal standpoint is, quite simply, concerning. Prominent examples from around the world contradict this viewpoint. Even here in Ireland, all we need to do is recall the security measures placed in our abortion laws in 2018. Fast forward five years to 2023, and every single one of these protective measures has been scrapped by 67 of our TDs. Not a single vote was cast in favour of retaining these measures by any TD from Sinn Féin, Labour, People Before Profit, Social Democrats or Greens, ignoring the promises made to their voters.
Who’s to say we won’t see similar treatment for assisted dying laws?
Yours faithfully,
Jim Stack,
Lismore,
Co Waterford.
The Lost Peace: How The West Mismanaged Preventing Another Cold War by Richard Sakwa – an in-depth look into a failed opportunity.
Dear Sir,
Assisted dying is not a new concept here in Ireland, owing to the remarkable efforts of palliative care over the years. However, it seemingly would be more truthful to refer to the current proposal as ‘expedited death’.
Yours faithfully,
Judith Leonard,
Raheny,
Dublin 5.