Dáil Éireann debate. Questions 628 – Cannabis for medicinal use [18767/24]

628. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the role of the Irish Medical Council in respect of difficulties with the Ministerial licence application for medical cannabis access; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18766/24]

Minister for Health: The receipt and processing of applications from clinicians to the Minister for Health for a licence issued pursuant to Section 14 of the Misuse of Drugs Act to treat a patient with cannabis-based products is solely a matter for the Department of Health.

________________________________

Dáil Éireann debate. Questions 629 – Cannabis for medicinal use [18767/24]

629. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the reason a patient who has completed a Ministerial license application with their medical consultant cannot make a complaint in respect of the process and is instead deemed a third party as they are not the applicant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18767/24]

Minister for Health: An application for a licence issued pursuant to Section 14 of the Misuse of Drugs Act to treat a patient with cannabis-based products may only be made by a consultant or a general practitioner with the endorsement of a consultant. A patient may not make an application for a licence. The Department of Health will only discuss the application with the applicant and not with any third party, including the patient. 

If customer wishes to make a complaint the Customer Complaints Procedure is on the Department of Health's website.

________________________________

Dáil Éireann debate. Questions 630 – Cannabis for medicinal use [18768/24]

630. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the reason a patient (details supplied) who applied for the Ministerial license on 7 December 2023 has received no reply on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18768/24]

Minister for Health: An application for a licence issued pursuant to Section 14 of the Misuse of Drugs Act to treat a patient with cannabis-based products may be made by a consultant or a general practitioner with the endorsement of a consultant. The Department of Health will only discuss the application with the applicant and has no record of an application being made to the Minister for Health by the person whose details were supplied. If the person whose details were supplied is a patient, as a matter of policy the Department of Health would not contact him.

_________________________________

Dáil Éireann debate. Questions 631 – Cannabis for medicinal use [18769/24]

631. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the reason his Department deems it inappropriate to discuss applications under section 14 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 to treat a patient with schedule 1 cannabis-based products with the patient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18769/24]

Minister for Health: A consultant or a GP with the endorsement of a consultant may apply to the Minister for Health for a licence issued pursuant to Section 14 of the Misuse of Drugs Act to treat a patient with cannabis-based products. The Department will only discuss the application with the applicant and not with any third parties, which includes patients. A patient may discuss the matter directly with their clinician.

___________________________________

Dáil Éireann debate. Questions 632 – Cannabis for medicinal use [18770/24]

632. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the length of time it takes for a consultant who has submitted an application under section 14 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 to treat a patient with schedule 1 cannabis-based products to hear from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18770/24]

Minister for Health: A consultant who has submitted valid application to the Minister for Health for a licence issued pursuant to Section 14 of the Misuse of Drugs Act to treat a patient with cannabis-based products can expect to hear from the Department of Health within a matter of days.