A bill on assisted dying introduced by People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny (pictured) has taken a step forward after a vote in the Dáil last night.

Deputy Kenny has said the rationale behind the Dying with Dignity Bill 2020 is to give a person the legal and medical right to authorise voluntary assisted dying where that person is suffering from a terminal illness.

Free vote

TDs backed the bill by 81 votes to 71, and it will now proceed to committee stage, where deputies will scrutinise the details of the proposed legislation more closely.

Earlier, a Government motion to set up a special committee to examine the bill for 12 months was defeated.

Ministers backed that motion, but all other deputies had a free vote. Once the Government’s attempt was defeated, all TDs were given a free vote on the bill itself.

If Deputy Kenny’s bill is enacted, it will give a medical practitioner the legal right to provide assistance to a qualifying person to end his or her own life in accordance with the terms set out in legislation.

In a tweet, the TD thanked all TDs who had voted for the bill. “Sometimes issues like this transcend politics. This was the occasion,” he said.