The Dáil voted in favour of a bill late last night which would allow people with terminal illnesses to end their lives.
TDs backed the Dying with Dignity Bill by a margin of 10 votes, and it will now go to committee stage.
The government wanted a special committee to be set up to examine the bill - but that proposal was defeated.
Former Waterford TD John Halligan originally sponsored the bill back in 2015, he welcomed the development:
"I'm delighted to the degree that it's gone to scrutiny stage, which is committee, I obviously would have preferred a direct vote in passing the bill but look it now brings the bill a step forward to being passed when it goes to committee and a substantial amount of people voted for that, more than I would have expected. So it's a good day for the Dying with Dignity Bill at long last, it's been a long battle from when I introduced it first up until the vote last night."
Rise TD Paul Murphy sponsored the bill, and he says the outcome was very positive.
"A clear majority of the Dáil voted in favour of the bill in broad principal. So they support the idea that people with a terminal illness and in extreme pain can have assistance in dying.
"That does create real pressure on the Government now to allow this bill to progress to committee stage."
TDs had a free vote on the Dying with Dignity Bill - Waterford Green Party deputy Marc O'Cathasaigh told Damien Tiernan it was a tough call:
"It was a very difficult vote for everybody in government...it's gone past second stage now, it's going into committee, that means there'll be time to really scrutinise and to make sure if it is introduced there has to be safeguards.
"People have to be protected from any possible abuse associated with this bill, by the same token I think we do have to afford people who feel they have no other choice coming to the end of their life, I do feel we have to put that choice in front of them."
Right to Die Ireland said they were pleased that the Dying with Dignity Bill had passed to the next stage in the Dail.
In a statement they said "We have campaigned on this issue for the past eight years, since the deaths of Marie Fleming and Anne Holliday who we remember today.
"As well as lobbying politicians, we have made submissions to the Constitutional Convention and the Oireachtas Joint Justice Committee."
They thanked TD Gino Kenny for bringing forward the Bill and said we now need an "informed and compassionate debate that respectfully hears all concerns."
