“Obviously they are a commercial semi-state, it is a matter
for them to make these decisions, but instinctively I think
in the medium term this is something that would make
sense, for Ireland to have its own supply.”
The health minister also indicated that the public health
service or the state could end up owning its own supply of
medical cannabis.
He said:
“It could well be that Ireland Inc would decide to own its
own supply and that the public health service could own
its own supply, or indeed that existing state companies
and the likes could decide to diversify into this space.”
Although this sounds promising, it has not been
confirmed by the Irish government.
Nonetheless, it seems that this proposal has been in the
works since May 2019 when Sean Canney, Minister of State
for Natural Resources, Community Affairs and Digital
Development, told The Journal that growing medical
cannabis was being discussed.
He said:
“It is very much at the project phase at the moment, [but]
the option of medical cannabis being grown on the site is
being considered.”
The site was originally used by Bord na Móna to grow peat:
a fossil fuel that is burned to produce electricity.
The agency pitched an alternative way of utilising the
land’s resources as the country tries to move away from
burning fossil fuels.
As in the UK, Irish citizens have struggled to gain access
to medical cannabis, the most high-profile cases involving
children suffering from epilepsy.
Repurposing this land has the potential to solve issues
around medical cannabis access in Ireland and diminish
the amount of environmentally unsustainable fuelling.
Vera Twomey of County Cork has faced many hurdles in
trying to obtain medical cannabis for her daughter, Ava.
Ava was finally granted permission to use medical
cannabis at the age of seven in 2017 following two years of
campaigning on her behalf.
Since then, Ava has been able to participate in school and
she has not been admitted to hospital in two years.
Ms Twomey told The Irish Times that her daughter is now
‘thriving’ and ‘living a life free of pain.’
“Instinctively I think in the
medium term this is something
that would make sense, for
Ireland to have its own
supply” - Irish Health minister