Current Assisted Suicide Situation 'completely Unsatisfactory'

Current assisted suicide situation 'completely unsatisfactory'

A solicitor for Gail O'Rorke says it is a 'completely unsatisfactory situation' for a person to be at risk of prosecution for helping someone end their life. 43-year-old Ms O'Rorke, from Kilclare Gardens in Tallaght, Dublin was yesterday acquitted of attempting to assist a friend's suicide by making travel arrangements to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland. The booking was cancelled when the travel agent contacted gardai over concerns about its legality. Solicitor Dara Robinson says recent legal decisions in the area mean its down to the country's legislators to address the issue. "And so you have a fairly queer situation where suicide is not in itself a crime, but assisting it is - even in circumstances where the person who wishes to end their life, assuming for a good reason and a good cause, cannot be helped by anybody because that helper risks prosecution" he said. "It's a completely unsatisfactory situation" he added.