609. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if the MCAP review has commenced; if stakeholders have been appointed to the review group; and the length of time the review is expected to take once it begins. [70162/26]

Minister for Health: On 1st April 2026, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill formally appointed Professor Shane Allwright to chair the Review Group.

The Group will:

- Review the current operation of the Medical Cannabis Access Programme and the availability of Schedule 2 Cannabis products.

- Examine the appropriateness to expand the range of conditions covered by the programme, where sufficient evidence exists that cannabis may prove beneficial.

- Review the current access to Schedule 1 Cannabis products and the current operation of the ministerial licence.

- Develop a national policy on access to, and the administration of cannabis products that are subject to ministerial licence.

The Review Group is comprised of a wide range of medical specialists and experts including patient representatives.

The timeline for completing the “Review of Access to Cannabis for Medical Use” which also evaluates the Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) is anticipated to be in the region of 12 months from the date of the group's initial meeting which took place on 27th May 2026.