Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 October 2021
71. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will support the development of a hemp sector in Ireland on the basis of allowing farmers in that sector to utilise the entire crop produce. [50715/21]
View answerThe regulations governing the licencing and cultivation of Hemp are the responsibility of the
Department of Health and the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) which operates under the auspices of the Department of Health.
Cannabis (which includes Hemp) is listed in schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017, as amended, which means it is subject to the strictest level of control. The various Misuse of Drugs regulations do not come under the remit of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
However, as the Deputy may be aware my officials are currently conducting a consultation with the various stakeholders based on the Programme for Government commitment to “fully explore the potential for growing fibre crops such as hemp, considering whether these crops have a viable market” . The consultation is being conducted on the basis of the economic viability of fibre crops such as hemp, that is, the study will only examine the commercial viability of growing hemp for fibre. It is not the purpose of this consultation to deal with legislative issues that come under the Misuse of Drugs legislation or indeed hemp derived food products which do not primarily come under the remit of this Department.
