Home > Dail Eireann debate. Questions on Promised Legislation [Medicinal cannabis]

[Oireachtas] Dail Eireann debate. Questions on Promised Legislation [Medicinal cannabis]. (25 Nov 2020)

External website: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2...


Deputy Michael Collins: The long-running saga concerning access to medicinal cannabis for sick adults and children goes on. It is a cause that has been championed by Vera Twomey on behalf of her daughter Ava and thousands of others in the country. I have always maintained that where credit is due, it should be given. I will give the Taoiseach credit today because he has helped Vera on more than one occasion over the past few years to jump the huge hurdles in her battle to gain access to medicine for her daughter and others. Unfortunately, this cannot be said for the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, who is running a mile from this serious issue. Can the Taoiseach guarantee that the arrangement for the delivery to Ireland of medicinal cannabis products can be made permanent with the appointment of a distributor or whatever measures are necessary to provide security of supply in the future for Ava Barry and many more who need this medicine to save their lives.

The Taoiseach: This has indeed been a long-running saga. I have worked with Vera Twomey and others on an ongoing basis in regard to this matter. To be fair to all concerned, including the Minister for Foreign Affairs and others, an arrangement had been made to facilitate the distribution of medicinal cannabis, from Holland to Ireland, during the Covid-19 pandemic. That has been facilitated by the State. Obviously, after Covid - we all want to get to a post-Covid world - measures will have to be adopted to facilitated the distribution in Ireland of the various medicinal cannabis products in order to prevent families from having to travel abroad. People obtain different types of medicinal cannabis from various distributors or manufacturers. That is important as well.

Item Type
Dail Debates
Publication Type
Irish-related
Drug Type
Cannabis, Prescription/Over the counter
Intervention Type
Policy
Date
25 November 2020
EndNote

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