Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is not for discussion now but I want to briefly mention the issue of medicinal cannabis, if the Chairman would indulge me for 60 seconds. I am conscious that there is a lot of information, and, I worry, some misinformation, out there with regard to my function as Minister for Health. In recent days, I have read information and received messages from people asking that I merely sign an application and make medicinal cannabis available to a named patient. I am not going to discuss individual cases at this committee.

For the information of the committee, however, which will further consider the issue and has a timetable to do so, no licence has been granted by my Department for the provision of medicinal cannabis to any child without the recommendation or support of a consultant to oversee that. There is no application currently in my Department with a paediatric consultant recommending medicinal cannabis and the Chief Medical Officer, who unlike me is a doctor, has informed me that I cannot grant a licence without that. Every child with a condition such as epilepsy is under the care of a consultant and if that consultant or any consultant believes it is appropriate that a child should access any medication, including medicinal cannabis, and the licence is applied for, it will be dealt with as a priority and will be made available.

I believe we should change the law in relation to medicinal cannabis. That is why I commissioned the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, report in November. That is why it reported to us at the end of January. It is why this committee has it and will consider it. That is thanks to the work of Vera Twomey and a number of other brave courageous advocates.

However, I need to be clear in relation to the HPRA report. The HPRA report's recommendations state one could set up a compassionate access programme for three conditions but that the supply of medicinal cannabis would still need to be on the recommendation of a consultant. I want people to be clear. On the idea that I have a form that I can merely sign to end somebody's suffering, of course, if that was the case I would do it.