Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge what Deputy Gino Kenny is doing here. While I agree with parts of it, I cannot support the Bill as it stands. Medicinal cannabis can be used in certain circumstances. I would like to see it made available to people who are suffering from chronic pain and to provide relief for those receiving cancer treatments. I would like this to be done through doctors prescribing it to people, including the terminally ill, to give them a quality of life. I would like to see it coming through the medical profession where at least there would be a control mechanism in place. I am 100% in favour of the law allowing for it but it should be provided by a doctor or consultant or other medical professional to improve the quality of life of people experiencing chronic pain and suffering.

I am not in favour of making it legal for anyone to walk around with this drug. I am a father. If one of my children, including as an adult, needed cannabis to address an issue, even if it was a terminal illness, I would ask a medical professional to prescribe something to help my child. Medicinal cannabis has worked for Crohn's disease and different things. Let it be licensed through the medical profession. At least then we would have some control over it, the people who need it would get it and people would be helped. That is where I stand on this.

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