Medicinal cannabis access programme
Deputy Kenny welcomed an import licence for medicinal cannabis and asked when the access programme would begin and whether its guidelines would be less restrictive. The Minister said an update had been circulated and promised to share it, but could not give a firm timeline.
I wish to raise the proposed cannabis access programme. I understand that an importation licence has been granted to a company for medicinal cannabis products. That is welcome news, as this situation has been dragged out. I have two questions. When will the programme be set up? The programme's current guidelines are extremely restrictive and many people will not be given access. In November in Britain, medicinal cannabis was rescheduled to schedule 2, yet few people can get it. We do not want the same to happen in Ireland.
Comment on this
We have received and circulated an update this week. I cannot give the Deputy an exact timeline for when the programme will be established, but I am happy to share the update from the HSE with him after Questions on Promised Legislation, if that is okay.