Government to explore potential for development of hemp industry

The Government has started a consultation process to explore the possibilities for the development of an industrial fibre sector using hemp.

Advocates for the sector including Hemp Cooperative Ireland, whose members include farmers, engineers and scientists, argue that Irish-grown hemp has significant potential as a renewable agricultural cash crop suitable for industrial applications including building insulation, cloth making and even low-carbon cement production. 

While hemp can be produced here and was once widely grown for rope making, its closeness to cannabis means even industrial use is effectively banned under drugs legislation. 

However, the Programme for Government, published last year, committed to exploring the potential for growing fibre crops such as hemp and to consider whether the crops have a viable market.

Hemp growing by farmers is subject to the granting of a licence by the Health Products Regulatory Authority, which operates under the auspices of the Department of Health.

Hemp fibres are mainly exported to mainland Europe for use in the manufacture of car parts, textiles and construction materials.

But there is no legal exemption in Ireland under the current Misuse of Drugs legislative for any amount of the narcotic component of hemp and cannabis, THC, to be present in produce, resulting in a barrier to processing here.

The Department of Agriculture is understood to be reviewing the current regime here. Some European countries allow for hemp-derived finished products to contain trace amounts of THC.