Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2021
1105. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to lift the sanctions his Department imposed on the Irish hemp industry; if he will defend the rights of Irish hemp farmers and processors to market their agricultural product; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44722/20]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government (PFG) has committed to exploring the potential for the growing of fibre crops such as hemp.
My Department has, and continues to, engage with relevant stakeholders from different hemp representative bodies to fully explore the viability of growing fibre crops such as hemp.
In relation to the suggestion regarding sanctions being imposed on the hemp industry relating to access to the Credit Guarantee Scheme, my Department has not imposed any such sanctions.
The growing of hemp is included as an eligible crop under the conditionality for the Credit Guarantee Scheme. This is where the crop is grown for fibre which is in line with the licence to cultivate hemp issued by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations which specifically states it is for fibre use.
