Berry slams HSE

An Athlone independent councillor has backed a fellow independent politician from Munster on her criticisms of the Health Service Executive for inviting a visiting Professor to Ireland to give a lecture on euthanasia. 'I read that Kathy Sinnot MEP is very displeased with the HSE inviting a professor to give a lecture on euthanasia,' said Cllr. Austin Berry. 'I totally agree with Ms. Sinnot, although I have never met her, on this matter, because it worries me greatly that this would be brought into serious discussion in this country. What is the purpose of this lecture?' The lecture was by invitation only, and was organised by the HSE and Cork University Hospital. The lecture was entitled - "Why Euthanasia should be legalised." Cllr. Berry said Ms. Sinnot said on her website that the speaker, Professor Len Doyal, was an open proponent of both voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia and the lecture was not open to the public but to medical professionals only. Speaking about the event Kathy Sinnott, MEP for Munster said that "until recently no-one believed euthanasia could be legalised in this country but having seen it passed into law in other EU countries the possibility seems less remote." 'Luxembourg, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium have all legalised euthanasia and it"s coming up for discussion in the Scottish Parliament shortly so the possibility of it becoming a reality in Ireland is not unthinkable,' said Ms. Sinnot. Cllr. Berry expressed concerns at the HSE move. 'I don"t know what the purpose is, but it seems rather sinister of the HSE, because the intentions of people are that they would go into hospitals to be treated for illness and they would expect to be treated,' he said. 'With the HSE organising such a lecture, one would have to be very concerned. The HSE is a secret organisation with nobody knowing what"s going on behind the door.'