Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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2716. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 has been referenced as the legislative framework that will ban HHC, and the reason the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010 is not; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41666/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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At its meeting on the 12th March 2025 the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (of which Ireland is a member) decided by 49 votes to none, with one abstention, to add Hexahydrocannabinol in Schedule II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances 1971.

As Ireland is a signatory to the Convention and must reflect the outcome of the vote in national legislation, adding the substance to the Schedules in the Misuse of Drugs legislative framework is the means by which this is done.

Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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2717. To ask the Minister for Health to outline the legislative action that will address other semi-synthetic cannabinoids being sold in Ireland; when such action will take place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41667/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Departmental officials, through their involvement in the EU Early Warning Network are made aware of new psychoactive substances, including synthetic cannabinoids, that may emerge both in Ireland and internationally. Once the required risk analysis has been carried out, evaluating if a substance has any industrial or medical benefit, whether it could be subject to abuse and presents a danger to public health the substances can be added to the Schedules in the Misuse of Drugs Regulations, SI 173/2017. This is an ongoing process and a number of substances including synthetic cannabinoids will be added to the schedules in the coming weeks.