The Department of Justice has warned any legislation on assisted suicide would need to have incredibly strong safeguards for vulnerable people.
The Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying has begun its first hearings this morning as part of a nine month programme to consider whether or not such legislation should be introduced in Ireland.
The committee's first witness was the Head of Legislation for Criminal Justice at the Department of Justice, Rachel Woods.
She says any new laws would have to be carefully considered.
"An important factor in this is in the absence of a very carefully considered regime, should it be a decision of the Oireachtas to introduce one, that the safeguards needed there cannot be overstated.
"There are people who could and would abuse a loophole or the legalisation of assisted suicide."
