Show Notes
A few short weeks ago, a joint Oireachtas committee recommended that the Government legislate for assisted dying in controlled circumstances where a terminally ill person is approaching the end of their life.
The fight for legal access to assisted dying began back in 2012 when Marie Fleming, who had advanced multiple sclerosis, and her partner and full-time carer, Tom Curran took a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court. They believed that there was a right to die and to be assisted in doing so under Irish law; the Supreme Court disagreed.
Despite the ruling and the threat of potential murder charges, Tom Curran publicly pledged to stand by a long-standing promise he had made to Marie. When the day came that she decided her condition meant her life was no longer worth living, he would help her to die peacefully and with dignity.
Today Richie sits down with Tom just over ten years after Marie passed away to speak about their life together, her determination to end it on her own terms, and his work to provide information on assisted dying to people in similar positions to Marie.
Episode is a Second Captains podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Episode with Richie Sadlier
With the war in Ukraine and the ongoing genocide in Gaza dominating the news agenda, Richie is joined for the final show of the series by BBC special correspondent and veteran war reporter, Fergal Keane.
As we may have mentioned once or twice on social media this week, joining Richie on today's show is a very old friend and an up and coming League of Ireland manager by the name of Damien Duff.
A message for listeners: today's show includes discussions of themes that some people may find distressing from the outset and throughout, including sexual violence, sexual abuse and the sex trade.
Nine months ago, Pat Sheedy walked out of prison after spending more than two and a half years locked up for trying to fund his decades-long gambling addiction through various scams.
This week on Episode we're taking a mid-series break but fear not, Richie and Killian will be back on the road next week when we'll be bringing you another brilliant conversation.