Press Release: Wednesday 1 April 2026
Minister for Health announces the appointment of a Chair of the Review of Access to Cannabis for Medical Use
The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD has announced that Professor Shane Allwright has been appointed Chair of the Review of Access to Cannabis for Medical Use.
The Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) has been in operation since 2021 for Schedule 2 Cannabis products, alongside access to Schedule 1 cannabis products, granted under Ministerial Licence. The Minister for Health is now establishing this Review Group to examine current access to these medical cannabis products, and to provide considered advice and recommendations to inform future policy and decision-making.
Minister Carroll MacNeill said:
“I am pleased to appoint Professor Allwright as Chair of the Review Group. This is an incredibly important piece of work, and I would like to thank Professor Allwright for agreeing to take on this role. I am confident that Professor Allwright’s extensive experience will ensure that the work of the Group is thorough, balanced, and evidence based. Under her leadership, the Review Group will make a valuable contribution to our understanding of this issue and to the development of effective health policy.
“I look forward to receiving the Group’s report in due course and wish Professor Allwright every success in her appointment.”
Professor Shane Allwright said:
“This is an important and challenging review, on a topic of interest to many people, including patients and clinicians. It is a great honour to have been appointed by the Minister for Health to chair this working group. I look forward to bringing my national experience in public health policy to the role and to working with the Department of Health and with the subject experts appointed to the review group.”