Cannabis for Medicinal Use

Thursday, 21 May 2026

Questions (349)

Pádraig Rice

Question:

349. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of patients currently accessing schedule 1 and schedule 2 product treatment under the Medical Cannabis Access Programme; the number of schedule 1 applications approved since commencement; if her Department has undertaken any assessment of the extent to which patients are being prescribed schedule 2 medicinal products; if her Department has undertaken any assessment of patients seeking access to medicinal cannabis products privately outside the Medical Cannabis Access Programme due to limitations in the current scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38548/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

All products available to patients on the Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) are Schedule 2 controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, but are only Schedule 2 within the scope of the programme. The has been 75 successful applications to the MCAP. The are also patients being treated under the Ministerial Licence scheme which commenced in 2016.

The Department has not undertaken any assessment of patients seeking access to medicinal cannabis products privately outside the MCAP or Ministerial Licence scheme. It is important to emphasise that the MCAP and the Ministerial Licence scheme are the only lawful methods for patients to access cannabis-based products in Ireland for medical purposes.