Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

There is a system in place but the system is not working. There are thousands of people in this county who need medicinal cannabis, sometimes for their children. How many have got the licence? Only 12 have got the licence, which means that less than 1% of people who need it have got it, and 99% of people who need it have not got it. One of the reasons for that is there is a chill factor for neurologists. THC is still illegal below a very low dosage and neurologists are nervous about that. THC is a schedule 1 drug that is not prescribed for medical purposes. That needs to change to the way it is in the Netherlands.

The Tánaiste said that people should not have to go abroad under the system but people still have to go abroad even if they have the licence. Vera Twomey has to go to the Netherlands in order to get the treatment for her daughter Ava, as do other people who have licences. Even if one is lucky enough to be in the 1% the Government still forces people to go abroad for the healthcare needs of their children.

This is going to be a big issue in the next week. Noreen will post reports on her Facebook page, including videos of her travel experience and her journey. People will watch that and they will look very carefully to see what the customs officials do next Wednesday, whether they take her aside and confiscate medicine that her child needs or recognise reality and allow her back into the country with the medicine that is needed for her son.

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