The Dáil is to vote next week on allowing cannabis for medical use in Ireland.

A bill calling to prescribe medicinal cannabis for chronic pain, epilepsy, cancer and MS is dividing opinion during a debate in the house this evening.

Solidarity-People Before Profit said it will alleviate pain, but the government, Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil say the law will have the unintended consequence of legalising all cannabis use.

"Bypassing the approach to regulation exposes the public to incomplete and unpredictable medical treatments," argued pharmacist and Fine Gael politician Kate O'Connell.

The bills author, Gino Kenny, said more research was needed.

"The evidence is coming out of people's ears. Of course we need more research but there is a lot of evidence that people can greatly benefit from this," he said.