Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Gino Kenny asked some of the questions about the review and the terms of reference. While I agree that there cannot be a large number of experts engaged in the review because it is such a short timeframe, will the authority be accepting submissions from the public in the review or will it be solely the group of experts looking at the wide range of evidence available to date?

Obviously, the Minister will make the policy decision at the end of the process but in terms of the review, will the HPRA merely give him advice? Will that advice contain recommendations? In her opening statement, Dr. Nolan stated, "If the Minister, following receipt of our advice, takes a policy decision to implement a new legal framework for medicinal cannabis, it will require time to develop [and] may require primary legislation". Even when the Minister takes the advice at the end of January, there will still be a considerable period in which the development of the new legal framework will be progressed. Dr. Nolan also stated it may be possible to start administering medicinal cannabis to meet specific needs within the existing framework. While I do not want to pre-empt the outcome of the review, if it is the case that a recommendation is made or policy advice is given to explore this, we must be clear that there is nothing to stop it. It cannot then be put on the long finger; we cannot wait on the Minister to state we need new legislation or a new legal framework. All of that has to take place but in the short term, there will be options available to start administering it. Is that something that will be contained within the recommendations? Will there even be recommendations in the report or will the HPRA solely be giving advice to the Minister?