Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our visitors in the Gallery. This is a very serious and emotive issue, on which there is a wide range of views and opinions that the House should acknowledge. Previous speakers referred to the work done by the Joint Committee on Health. I did not attend the hearings with a closed mind or with a view to being negative in any way, shape or form.

At all times I approach my work with the committee in the same way I approach my work in here, which is with an open mind. However, I also come in here as a Sinn Féin Deputy and I represent my party's policy.

It is our policy that we look at the issue of medicinal cannabis from a medical and a health perspective, and that we should in all instances defer to the medical experts and the patient advocacy groups. That equally means that when it comes to legislating for medicinal cannabis, we must look to ourselves, as legislators, to see what it is we can do. That is what Sinn Féin has sought to do right throughout this process.

On Second Stage, I outlined the many concerns that I and my party have about the Bill and the possible unintended consequences. At that point, I stated that we would reserve the right to scrutinise the Bill at the Joint Committee on Health and amend it to make it fit for purpose and to bring it into line with our party policy.

I still hold some of those concerns, but I believe that the process of legislating and scrutinising should continue so long as there is an acceptance that the Bill is flawed in many ways but that the drafters are willing, as they indicated - Deputy Boyd Barrett pointed out that they had indicated that to us outside the Chamber and now on the record - to work with us and others who support the objective to ensure that the legislation can be amended and made fit for purpose.

I have spoken with the drafters. They have accepted the concerns that we had raised around the complexities and the unintended consequences. They have liaised with myself and some of my colleagues in the interests of progressing this Bill and working towards legalising medicinal cannabis. They have agreed to compromise on a range of areas in the Bill which are beyond the scope of legalising medicinal cannabis. I respect the drafters, as colleagues and legislators. I accept their bona fides when they show that they are willing to compromise and amend sections of the Bill in order to ensure it is only for the legalisation of medicinal cannabis. I am sure I and others can work well with them in the spirit of co-operation in order to deliver for those who need medicinal cannabis, namely, these are the people who we must have at the forefront of our thoughts.

Sinn Féin supports the legalisation of medicinal cannabis where it has been deemed medically necessary for a patient by his or her clinician, in consultation with the patient and-or parents or guardians, as appropriate. We have a long-standing party policy, decided by our membership, to support the legalisation of medicinal cannabis. It is through that prism that we looked at the legislation on Second Stage and that is why we supported its passage at that Stage.

Today cannot pass without me saying that there are parts of the legislation which we believe to be flawed and to hold it up as the final and complete answer to patients is unfair. There was a great deal of misunderstanding, some of which was bordering on misinformation, when it came to this Bill. It is irresponsible to say that the Bill, in its current form, will guarantee access to medicinal cannabis for all who need it. It is apparent, from the legal advice and the motion from the Joint Committee on Health, that it will not. While I agree with the legal advice, which is factually correct that amending the Bill would be an extremely onerous undertaking and require substantial redrafting to avoid any undesirable policy consequences, if the drafters can work with us, as they indicated to me that they would both outside this Chamber and on the record, and if they are willing to compromise on the sections of the Bill which have nothing to do with the legalisation of cannabis for medicinal use, then I believe that we can overcome these issues.

In the meantime, we await the launch of the medicinal cannabis compassionate access programme. I ask that the Minister consider placing the statutory instruments before the Joint Committee on Health so that we might be able to ensure they are devised in such a way that we get the maximum value for those people outside the House who are awaiting this legislation and the compassionate access programme.

Having met the drafters and having been assured that they understand that there are elements which are problematic for my party, they are willing to work with others who support these objectives. They are prepared to compromise on the sections which go beyond the objectives of the Bill.

We will oppose the motion as outlined by the Joint Committee on Health. We will give conditional support to the medicinal cannabis Bill provided it is sufficiently amended, in line with our party policy.

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