Bereaved son calls for assisted dying conversation

Author and broadcaster Paul Gosling said his mother suffered a "horrendous death"

A man who watched his mother die from Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is supporting calls to discuss legalising assisted dying in Northern Ireland.

Paul Gosling said his mother suffered a "horrendous death" and it would have been better if she had been supported through assisted dying.

He said he would want to have the choice if he developed MND.

England and Scotland are considering changing the law to let terminally ill people end their lives.

It is also being discussed in the Republic of Ireland, Jersey and the Isle of Man.

However, there is strong opposition in Northern Ireland to the introduction of any law which would allow for assisted dying.

'I want to have a choice'

Mr Gosling is an author and broadcaster from England who has lived in County Londonderry for almost 30 years.

Speaking for the first time about his mother’s death, he told BBC News NI he has tremendous guilt for not doing more to help her.

He explained they had not discussed assisted dying before his mother became terminally ill, and so he does not know "if anyone would have been able to suggest it or process it" at that time.

"I think it’s important that families have that conversation about assisted dying before someone gets into a state that they need support to end their life.

"It’s something I don’t want to have to go through – I want to have a choice," he added.

His daughter, Zoë Weyrauch-Gosling, finds talking about the topic “tough” but understands her father's wishes.

“Realistically it would be just as crushing to see my father suffer the same way that my granny did," she explained.

"I would not want him to go through that and I know how important it is for my dad to have his own autonomy and control when his body starts to give up."

Zoë Weyrauch-Gosling said she would find it difficult to let her father "go"

My Death, My Decision Northern Ireland is a lobby group that wants to change the law locally.

The group fears Northern Ireland could be left behind and then have a "knee jerk reaction to things that are happening elsewhere, which isn't good enough".

Its chair, Gavin Walker, said "we need our MLAs to step up to provide the people of Northern Ireland with the same access to the end of life choice".

He argues assisted dying should also be made available for people with incurable conditions like multiple sclerosis or locked-in syndrome.

However, many religious organisations, disability rights groups and those within the medical profession believe an assisted dying law may be open to exploitation.

Some believe euthanasia can never be justified and that a more appropriate approach is to enhance palliative care.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has already voiced its opposition to introducing an assisted dying law.

Gavin Walker chairs the My Death, My Decision Northern Ireland lobby group

What is the law in Northern Ireland?

Assisting someone to take their own life or attempt to take their life is illegal and punishable by up to 14 years in prison in Northern Ireland.

It remains an offence if the assistance takes place in Northern Ireland, but the suicide takes place elsewhere in the world.

An offence does not automatically lead to a prosecution as all cases are considered on merit and whether a prosecution is in the public interest.

There are several factors which can mitigate against prosecution, including whether the person had reached a voluntary and informed decision to end their own life.

Assisted Dying remains a devolved matter and would require a change in the law by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Mr Walker said movement elsewhere in the UK shows the issue is "steadily climbing the legislative ladder" and it is time for the Stormont Assembly to begin work on a bill for the people of Northern Ireland.

In the Republic of Ireland, a bill is to be debated which includes a clause stating anyone on the Island of Ireland would have access to assisted dying.

If that bill was passed and there was no change in the law in Northern Ireland Mr Walker said a local resident involved in assisting someone to die in the Republic may face prosecution on returning home to Northern Ireland.

What is happening elsewhere in the UK?

Current laws throughout the UK prevent people from asking for medical help to die.

Euthanasia is illegal under English law and is considered manslaughter or murder.

The Suicide Act 1961 also makes it illegal to encourage or assist a suicide in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

But in England, a bill which would allow terminally ill adults with six months or fewer to live to get medical help to end their own lives had its first reading in July.

In Scotland a new bill could see it become the first UK nation to allow assisted suicide - its lawmakers are due to begin hearing oral evidence in the autumn.

Jersey has accepted assisted dying for any terminally ill resident of the island who has been given six months left to live, or 12 months for those with a neurological degenerative illness.

On the Isle of Man, the Assisted Dying Bill is in progress and is expected to pass into law within 12 months.