Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On 10 February 2017, the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, announced that a compassionate access scheme for medicinal cannabis-based treatment would be established, and he published the Health Products Regulatory Authority's, HPRA, report, Cannabis for Medical Use - A Scientific Review. He also announced he had decided to establish a compassionate access programme. The Dáil has been extremely patient about this, as have people around the country. There were reviews in June and July of this year, but when people will have access to this programme remains a mystery. The numbers using the existing framework for importing medicinal cannabis, based on an endorsement by one's general practitioner, GP, and consultant, is growing all the time. Patients such as Ms Vera Twomey must travel overseas to Europe every three months to secure the medicinal cannabis which has been identified by their specialists and GPs. This cannot go on. The number of people seeking access is growing, and, as the Taoiseach will be aware, the HPRA study identified medicinal cannabis as helpful for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, persons who get sick from chemotherapy, and those suffering from cancer, spasticity or multiple sclerosis.

Nearly two years later, there is no sign of the access programme being established. Can the Taoiseach shed some light on this and give me a timeline - or get the Minister to do so - as to when people will have access to this programme?

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