Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Act 2016
Acts of the Oireachtas
Source: Acts of the Oireachtas

num: 1
paragraphs: In this Act “Principal Act” means the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 .
num: 2
paragraphs: Section 1 of the Principal Act is amended, in subsection (1) —
(a) by the insertion of the following definition:
“‘registered midwife’ means a midwife whose name is entered in the midwives division of the register of nurses and midwives under the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 ;”,
(b) by the substitution of the following for the definition of “registered nurse”:
“‘registered nurse’ means a nurse whose name is entered in the nurses division of the register of nurses and midwives under the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 ;”,
and
(c) by the substitution of the following for the definition of “practitioner”:
“‘practitioner’ means a registered medical practitioner, a registered dentist, a registered veterinary surgeon, a registered nurse and a registered midwife;”.
num: 3
paragraphs: Section 5 of the Principal Act is amended—
(a) in subsection (1), by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (f):
“(f) subject to subsection (1A), regulating the issue of prescriptions for controlled drugs and the supply of controlled drugs on prescription by—
(i) registered medical practitioners, registered dentists or registered veterinary surgeons,
(ii) relevant nurses, or
(iii) relevant midwives,”,
(b) by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (1A):
“(1A) The Minister shall not make regulations under subsection (1)(f)(ii) or (iii) unless the Minister, having had regard to the nature and purpose of the controlled drug (including any deleterious effects which may arise from the misuse thereof), is satisfied that it is reasonably safe to permit the issue of prescriptions for that controlled drug by relevant nurses or relevant midwives.”,
(c) in subsection (2)(a), by the substitution of “(other than a relevant nurse or a relevant midwife)” for “(other than a registered nurse)”,
(d) by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (3):
“(3) Subject to section 13, the Minister may make regulations under this section so as to secure that it is not unlawful under this Act for a practitioner who is a relevant nurse or a relevant midwife, for the purpose of the practitioner’s profession as a relevant nurse or a relevant midwife, to prescribe, administer or supply a controlled drug if the Minister, after having had regard to the nature and purpose of the controlled drug (including any deleterious effects which may arise from the misuse thereof), is satisfied that it is reasonably safe to permit the practitioner, for the purpose of the practitioner’s profession as a relevant nurse or a relevant midwife, to prescribe, administer or supply that controlled drug.”,
and
(e) by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (3):
“(4) In this section—
‘relevant midwife’ means a registered midwife or a class of registered midwives;
‘relevant nurse’ means a registered nurse or a class of registered nurses.”.
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paragraphs: Section 13 of the Principal Act is amended, in subsection (1)(b), by the substitution of “issued by the Health Products Regulatory Authority” for “issued by the Minister”.
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paragraphs: Section 21 of the Principal Act is amended, in subsection (6), by the substitution of “issued under section 14 by the Health Products Regulatory Authority” for “issued by the Minister”.
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paragraphs: The Schedule to the Principal Act is amended—
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paragraphs: The following are revoked:
(a) the Misuse of Drugs (Licence Fees) Regulations 1979 ( S.I. No. 164 of 1979 );
(b) the Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1982 ( S.I. No. 321 of 1982 );
(c) the Misuse of Drugs (Exemption) Order 1988 ( S.I. No. 326 of 1988 );
(d) the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1988 ( S.I. No. 328 of 1988 );
(e) the Misuse of Drugs (Designation) Order 1998 ( S.I. No. 69 of 1998 );
(f) the Misuse of Drugs (Supervision of Prescription and Supply of Methadone) Regulations 1998 ( S.I. No. 225 of 1998 ).
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paragraphs: (1) This Act may be cited as the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Act 2016.
(2) The Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 to 2015 and this Act may be cited together as the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 to 2016 and shall be construed together as one Act.
(3) This Act shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister for Health may by order or orders appoint either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so appointed for different purposes or provisions.