Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The fact is, the HPRA is there to safeguard the health of the people. Someone said on social media that cannabis is a natural product and thalidomide was created in a lab.

The simple fact is that the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, applies very strict rules and regulations on drugs licensing to safeguard the population. When Members of the Oireachtas try to circumvent the regulations for whatever purpose - I am not 100% sure what the purpose of this proposal is - we open ourselves up to creating a dodgy scenario for public health. I feel very strongly about this matter.

On the offences a person must not have committed to be eligible to be a licenceholder, I note that a person may not have committed murder but the Bill does not refer to drug offences. This means a convicted drug dealer who has served time could be a licenceholder. I do not understand this strange omission as it is obvious that a person with a history of drug offences should be precluded from holding a licence.

Why would the regulations governing a retail licence be any different from those governing pharmacy licences? Pharmacies are regulated to an extreme degree by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland. It is beyond me that it is proposed to introduce another framework for regulating this area. The rules on the keeping of records should not be any different either. I note the definition of a child is different in the Bill.

The legislation is completely flawed and I am not sure where it will lead. An issue arises with the use of the word "medicinal" in this context. As a pharmacist, I have major concerns about the Bill about which I could not speak in any way positively. Of most concern is section 42 which provides for the amendment of the Misuse of Drugs Act by the deletion of references to cannabis. This is a major step.

I am concerned when elected Members try to circumvent the regulatory procedures that have been introduced to serve and safeguard citizens from the dangerous effects of drugs and to promote well-being. The Deputy used the word "immoral". This legislation verges on being immoral. It is inappropriate for people to snigger at an Oireachtas committee meeting.