Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the developments in the case of a person (details supplied) who has made several requests to enter the State on holidays with a small amount of prescribed medicine listed in the Misuse of Drugs Act; if they can enter the State for the purpose of holidays and to visit his family; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11776/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The person in question is free to enter the State at any time whether to visit his family or otherwise. The difficulty relates to his request to be permitted to bring cannabis with him for his personal use. The legal position in Ireland is that cannabis is a Schedule 1 controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. All Schedule 1 drugs are considered to have no medicinal use and their manufacture, production, preparation, sale, supply, distribution and possession is unlawful except for the purposes of research. The importation of cannabis and substances and products containing cannabis to Ireland, even if legally obtained in another EU Member State, is prohibited. It is not possible for cannabis, products containing cannabis or derivatives thereof to be authorised in the State for medicinal use or for prescription by a medical practitioner. The Misuse of Drugs legislation makes no provision for derogations in respect of the importation or possession of cannabis-containing substances or products.