I have previously raised on a number occasions in this format the status of a Bill which I put forward last year, namely, the Medicinal Cannabis Bill. Thankfully, on 1 December the Bill received cross-party support in the Dáil. Since then the Bill has completed the pre-legislative scrutiny process and it is now with the Parliamentary Legal Adviser. I understand this stuff - scrutiny and so on - has to take place. However, there is no doubt in my mind that the Committee on Health is trying to frustrate passage of this Bill. I have no doubt that that is going to happen despite that Vera Twomey and many others could benefit from its enactment. Will the Taoiseach put pressure on the Committee on Health to bring the Bill forward to Committee Stage?

The Deputy referred to the scrutiny of Bills, which is right and proper. He also referred to the process as "stuff". The pre-legislative scrutiny of Bills is very important and enables all Deputies elected to this House to have their say about what might, should or should not be in any particular Bill. The scrutiny to which the Deputy referred is very important. I have had a letter from the Ceann Comhairle requesting that I meet him and the chairpersons of the committees to discuss the question of the process for Private Members' Bills, such as the Bill introduced by the Deputy, of which there are now 140 backed up.

There are not 140 Private Members' Bills. That is not true.

Deputy Boyd Barrett, allow the Taoiseach to continue without interruption or we will move on.

Whatever the number is, they are delayed. The question is how to prioritise these Bills, including Deputy Kenny's Bill, in order that they can move through the process. I do not accept that there is an attempt to stymie the Bill, to delay it or not to have it put through. What happens is that a number of Private Members' Bills are accepted but when they go through to the next Stage, the Department or the Minister has to do an extensive amount of work on them to make them suitable for purpose, taking into account the original intent of the Private Members' Bill. The members of the committee are not subject to my direction.

I must ask the Taoiseach to conclude as there are other Deputies who need to be given an opportunity to put their questions.

They are entitled to have their say and they should have their say. That is the reason they were elected. Bills must go through the process.