Sir, - I wish to make a few points in response to your report headed "Dutch parliament votes for Bill to let doctors help patients die". As was pointed out, the proposed law sets out strict guidelines, only three of which were outlined in your report. The fourth guideline (which was not mentioned at all) is that there will be a commission consisting of a jurist, a physician and an ethicist, which will judge whether all criteria have been met. If in doubt, the public prosecutor will be contacted.
Reading through the arguments of people on both sides of the debate, I noticed that four people were named as opposing the proposed law (NavarroValls, Dorenbos, Van Zoest, Schweihoff), but only one in favour (De Graaf). I realise that the report was written by Reuters, but I feel that The Irish Times should have presented a balanced overview, and that this was not done.
Furthermore, as a Dutch national, I find comparisons of my country to Nazi Germany (as were made by several of your interviewees) offensive in the extreme. - Yours, etc.,
Henrike Bos, Tyrconnell Park, Dublin 8.