Euthanasia and hospice funding
Senator Mullen requests a debate on euthanasia, contrasts Exit International with hospice care and highlights unexplained palliative-care funding. He asks the Minister to address hospice provision and consistent care nationwide.
I disagree with Senator Kelly. I had always heard that self-praise was the best praise because it comes from the heart.
I am one of those people who do not like to see the undeserved attention being lavished in recent days on an organisation called Exit International, which seeks to promote euthanasia-----
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-----run workshops and so on to help people end their lives in circumstances where they are in pain, suffering or very often in fear. I would contrast the approach of such organisations with the wonderful work being done by the hospice movement. We frequently see that it is the people in the hospice movement who are involved in the giving in hospice care who are most opposed to the despairing approach being promoted by organisations such as Exit International. Euthanasia rather perversely comes from the words "good death". For many years in Ireland people were encouraged to pray for a happy death. A happy death and a good death is a death where pain is well managed and loved ones are present.
It is one of the tragedies of this country that appropriate hospice care is still not available to thousands of people. Approximately 2,500 people are deprived of the hospice care they need each year. For our population we should have approximately 450 hospice beds; we have about one third of that in operation. It is not just about inpatient beds. It is about all the services the hospice can provide including home care, outpatient day care and respite. Where there is good and effective hospice care many people would have-----
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Yes. I am asking for a debate on hospice care and specifically on the funding for hospice care. The latest report, Access to Specialist Palliative Care Services and Place of Death in Ireland, documents the issues very well. I do not have the figure to hand but it mentions that of the €78 million designated for specialist palliative care, about €4.5 million of that is unaccounted for as against regional service plans. It would be a good idea to have the Minister in the House to discuss the Government's plans for hospice care. I know the Taoiseach gave certain commitments to Galway hospital some years ago-----
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-----which I hope have been honoured by now but we need to see much more consistent care for people in hospices throughout Ireland.