Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My approach to this, which the Deputy and I have discussed on many occasions, is that I have to be led by the views of clinicians. I take that approach because they are the people who have the medical expertise and we need them to buy into the programme. In some countries politicians have pretended to introduce programmes that had no clinical support whatsoever. The success of this programme so far, torturous as it has been, is that there is significant clinical buy-in. Clinicians themselves have quite rightly drawn up the guidelines for it. Other conditions will be kept under review. We have the clinical expert group in place and it can be reconvened from time to time. I want to say to people who are not covered by the three conditions in the medical cannabis access programme that the ministerial licence scheme, under which a consultant may apply to the Minister of the day for access to a product that is not authorised, is still available. I have never refused an application and I do not think any of my predecessors or successors would do so either. If a consultant seeks access to a product, my Department generally recommends acceptance and the application is handled quickly. The consultant or treating doctor has to believe a person needs the treatment. We are happy to keep these matters under review. We have made significant progress in establishing this first programme.

See this speech in context