Episode With Richie Sadlier: Tom Curran

Episode with Richie Sadlier

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.

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