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| Woman with MS loses fight to legalise assisted suicide in Ireland | Woman with MS loses fight to legalise assisted suicide in Ireland |
| (8 days later) | |
| An Irish woman who is terminally ill with multiple sclerosis has lost a landmark court case to allow her assisted suicide in the Republic. | An Irish woman who is terminally ill with multiple sclerosis has lost a landmark court case to allow her assisted suicide in the Republic. |
| Marie Fleming, 59, was trying to overturn a law that criminalises anyone who helps a loved one or partner voluntarily end their own life. Dublin's high court ruled on Thursday that it could not support a change to Ireland's constitution. | Marie Fleming, 59, was trying to overturn a law that criminalises anyone who helps a loved one or partner voluntarily end their own life. Dublin's high court ruled on Thursday that it could not support a change to Ireland's constitution. |
| Last month, Fleming, a retired university lecturer, told the three high court judges she should be spared a horrible death and be allowed to die lawfully and with dignity with her family present. | Last month, Fleming, a retired university lecturer, told the three high court judges she should be spared a horrible death and be allowed to die lawfully and with dignity with her family present. |
| However, in rejecting her application, the judges said it was at the discretion of Ireland's director of public prosecutions (DPP) whether or not to initiate a prosecution against someone who assists a suicide. | However, in rejecting her application, the judges said it was at the discretion of Ireland's director of public prosecutions (DPP) whether or not to initiate a prosecution against someone who assists a suicide. |
| Fleming's legal team are expected to appeal against the decision to the Irish supreme court. | Fleming's legal team are expected to appeal against the decision to the Irish supreme court. |
| Fleming and her partner, Tom Curran, had the full support of her children, Corinna and Simon, and family friend Brendan Gainey in her battle to make assisted suicide legal. | Fleming and her partner, Tom Curran, had the full support of her children, Corinna and Simon, and family friend Brendan Gainey in her battle to make assisted suicide legal. |
| Curran praised Fleming for her long fight to die with dignity. "Her courage in adversity is both humbling and inspiring," he said. "She was in many ways the most remarkable witness which any member of this court has ever been privileged to encounter." | Curran praised Fleming for her long fight to die with dignity. "Her courage in adversity is both humbling and inspiring," he said. "She was in many ways the most remarkable witness which any member of this court has ever been privileged to encounter." |
| During the six-day hearing, Fleming gave an emotional account of why she should be able to die peacefully in her own home with the people she loves without them risking up to 14 years in prison. | During the six-day hearing, Fleming gave an emotional account of why she should be able to die peacefully in her own home with the people she loves without them risking up to 14 years in prison. |
| She claimed that section 2.2 of Ireland's Criminal Law (Suicide) Act 1993, which renders it an offence to aid, abet, counsel or procure the suicide of another, is unconstitutional on the grounds that it breaches her human rights. | She claimed that section 2.2 of Ireland's Criminal Law (Suicide) Act 1993, which renders it an offence to aid, abet, counsel or procure the suicide of another, is unconstitutional on the grounds that it breaches her human rights. |
| Fleming also wanted an order requiring the DPP to issue guidelines on what factors should be taken into account when deciding whether to prosecute a person who assists a suicide. | Fleming also wanted an order requiring the DPP to issue guidelines on what factors should be taken into account when deciding whether to prosecute a person who assists a suicide. |
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