Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 May 2021
296. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of applications made annually for licences to cultivate hemp; the number licences awarded in each county; the number of licences refused; the reasons for the refusal of licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25168/21]
View answerThe Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) processes applications for licences to cultivate hemp on behalf of the Department of Health. The number of licences issued to cultivate hemp since 2018 is as follows:
2021 (as of 7 May): 13 licences
2020: 94 licences
2019: 74 licences
2018: 24 licences
All applicants who have submitted a complete application since 2018, detailing all the required information for a licence to cultivate hemp, have been issued with a licence. Each year there are a small number of applications that the HPRA is unable to progress as the applicants do not respond when requested to provide further information.
For example, in 2019 the HPRA received 85 applications for a licence to cultivate hemp. Of these, it was unable to progress 9 as the applicant did not respond. The remaining 76 applications were progressed and a licence issued in 2019 or early 2020. In 2018 the HPRA received 30 applications for a licence to cultivate hemp, of these it was unable to progress 6 as the applicant did not respond.
The number of licences issued to cultivate hemp in 2020, per county, is attached.
