Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the work that Deputy Gino Kenny has done on this issue although he and I have had arguments and disagreements on it in this House. What those of us on this side of the House want is a system that is as seamless as possible and that allows parents to access appropriate health care treatment for their children. However, this must be done under the supervision of a medical professional to ensure that the drugs or treatments being used are appropriate and are supervised. That is why the access programme for medicinal cannabis products is based on a licensing system whereby a consultant requests that a drug be imported. No request from a consultant has been refused by the Minister to date, as far as I know. I contend that the way not to do this is to send people abroad, knowing that when they come home the drugs will be confiscated.

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