In a joint statement, Rev Daniel Kane, PCI’s Convener of the Council for Public Affairs, and Rev William Hayes, convener of the Council’s panel that advises the Church on social, political and economic matters in the State, noted that the vote (76 for and 53 against) was far from conclusive,
“As we have said before as a Church on this issue, changing the law to permit assisted suicide and euthanasia raises the most fundamental of questions about the value that we place as a society on human life. For people of faith, and indeed no faith at all, human life, its preservation, its dignity, and its protection, are moral and precious values, which society casts off at its peril," they said.
“The fact that two reports, a majority report and a minority report, were published by the Joint Committee in March was a clear demonstration of the deep divisions that exist over this fundamental and sensitive issue. With less than 60 per cent of TDs backing the report on Wednesday, there is a sizeable body of opinion in the Dáil, that opposes the introduction of assisted suicide and euthanasia, whose views need to be listened to. In short, the vote was far from conclusive demonstrating that there remains a clear divide on this fundamental issue.”
