Westport man who died this year makes appeal for assisted dying to Oireachtas committee

A MAN from Westport who died of Motor Neurone disease earlier this year has made an appeal via a pre-recorded video played before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Assisted Dying. 

Brendan Clarke, who passed away in August this year, called for people to be given the option of assisted dying. 

Mr Clarke was due to testify before the committee in person before he passed away. 

The committee is currently holding hearings to discuss the issue of assisted dying and is due to make a report with recommendations later next year. 

Speaking in a video recorded before his passing Mr Clarke described living with his disease as 'a very difficult life'.

"It's not a life I want to live," he added.

"But I would appreciate at some stage, when all this committee work is done, that ye would let the state give people like me - I won't be around by them - the choice, if they want to, to avail of assisted dying. It's not an easy decision to make, but in my condition it is. I cannot live like this."

Mr Clarke, who was speaking at his home in Dublin, was filmed in the company of his nieces Sarah and Tara, who described him as 'the life and soul of the party' prior to his illness. 

Sarah said that it had been 'heart-breaking' to see her uncle's health deteriorate.

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, who is chairing the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Assisted Dying, described the video as 'very powerful' and he expressed his thanks to the late Brendan and his family for sharing the video with the committee.