Special Oireachtas committee to examine assisted dying to begin next year

A special Oireachtas committee to examine voluntary assisted dying is expected to start in early 2022.

The creation of the committee was advised in July, following the passage of the Dying with Dignity Bill in 2020.

The new legislation would allow terminally ill people to avail of medical assistance to die in certain circumstances which would give a medical practitioner the legal right to provide the assistance needed to a qualifying person to end their life.

The Oireachtas Justice Committee recommended the creation of a special committee earlier this year after finding the proposed legislation warranted extensive detailed examination due to "serious technical issues".

The committee is expected to look at the issue in January 2022 and will do so for 9 months.

People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny, who tabled the Dying with Dignity Bill, welcomed the formation of the committee describing it as "very timely".