Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2021
1093. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of controlled drug licences currently issued for products specified in schedule 2 of SI No. 173 of 2017; if he is considering the addition of licences or the licensing of further products; the number of licences issued for import, supply and possession of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17226/21]
View answerProspective suppliers of products to the medical cannabis access programme (MCAP) can apply to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), acting on behalf of the Minister for Health, to have a cannabis product considered for inclusion in the schedule to the Misuse of Drugs (Prescription and Control of Supply of Cannabis for Medical Use) Regulations 2019. Applicants must provide evidence to demonstrate that the proposed cannabis product meets the requirements of a ‘specified controlled drug’ as defined in the MCAP legislation. The onus is on prospective suppliers to submit applications to the HPRA and it has received a number since the introduction of the MCAP. A small number of applications remain under review and, to date, four cannabis products have been accepted for use in the MCAP.
Once a cannabis product has been accepted for use in the MCAP, it will also be included under Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017 (S.I. No 173 of 2017). The importer of the cannabis product into Ireland is required to apply for a controlled drug licence in respect of each consignment that it proposes to import. These applications are also processed by the HPRA on behalf of the Minister. A controlled drug import licence is required to accompany each import consignment. As with all Schedule 2 controlled substances, the Irish importer is also required to have a controlled drug annual licence to possess and supply the cannabis product(s). Three wholesalers in Ireland have been issued with a controlled drug annual licence to possess and supply any cannabis product accepted for use in the MCAP.
To date, twelve controlled drug import licences have been issued for the import of consignments of cannabis products by the licensed importers; however, only two of these imports licences have been used.
