It is more than two years since the Minister for Health promised a compassionate access programme to medicinal cannabis. Since then special import licences have been granted to approximately 15 people, if not more. Most are directed to The Hague in Holland by the Department to facilitate this. However, supplies are becoming difficult there because of increased demand. There has been a lack of clarity on the Minister's intentions as to when this compassionate access programme to medicinal cannabis is to be introduced. The UK Government has authorised a new legal framework since last November and the UK will receive its first shipment of medical cannabis from Canada in the next few weeks. I understand the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, has been in discussions with Tilray for a considerable length of time and that it was due to start early this year. It is time for the Minister to give a comprehensive statement outlining when it is intended to bring this medicinal cannabis into the country under the aegis of the compassionate access programme.

I do not have an up-to-date note on that with me so I will ask the Minister to provide the Deputy with a detailed answer by correspondence. The last time I inquired good progress was being made in this regard, but there was some difficulty around sourcing the product and some consideration was being given to growing it here in Ireland.