In December of last year, this House made a unanimous decision to send the Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation Bill of Deputy Gino Kenny to Committee Stage. Shamefully and disgracefully, a joint health committee, comprising members from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, the Rural Independent Group and some other Independents, has ignored the opinion and advice of the Irish Medical Organisation, which represents the doctors, Professor David Finn, president of the Irish Pain Society, and Professor Mike Barnes, who produced the definitive report on the issue of medicinal cannabis, and it has recommended that the Bill not proceed to Committee Stage. I would like to know, on a matter of Dáil procedure, what standing the recommendation has. It seems that if the Dáil completed Second Stage and agreed to send the Bill to Committee Stage, it has to proceed to Committee Stage or come back here for a decision to be made to reverse it.

What is the attitude of the Government going to be to that? Does the Taoiseach think it is a good idea for the Joint Committee on Health to ignore the IMO and Professor David Finn? As a doctor, does he think it is sensible to ignore what the IMO is saying on this matter, in particular in regard to the 20% of our population who suffer with chronic pain?

As far as I understand it, the committee voted democratically to decide that the Bill should not progress. Whether it comes back to this House is a procedural question and perhaps one best addressed to the Whips or the Business Committee.

Cannabis is available in Ireland as a medicine under certain circumstances and can be applied for under licence from the Minister for Health, but of course-----

One person has got it.

-----what is required is that a doctor qualified to do so determines that it is a medicine which is necessary in those cases. The IMO it is a trade union and, of course, I always listen to the views of trade unions. It is not a scientific body.

Is Professor David Finn a scientist?

When it comes to taking the advice of scientific bodies, one takes a wide range of advice and not just one scientist. One would listen, for example, to the Royal College of Physicians and the Health Products Regulatory Authority.

The Business Committee will consider the report from the Joint Committee on Health which has been laid before the House and will consider coming forward with a motion to address the issues raised by the Deputy.