Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the response. There is ongoing international controversy, not least in the United States, about the impact of this particular drug. I welcome the Minister of State's assurances that the position within the Defence Forces is being carefully monitored. One cannot but be a little amused at the idea that anxiety is one of the symptoms doctors check in soldiers going overseas on peacekeeping missions. It would be unlikely to find many who would not be a bit anxious at the prospect of going to Chad, Syria or Lebanon.

I took Lariam in the mid-1990s before a trip to Africa and suffered no ill-effects. The Minister of State has indicated there are five legal cases concerning the administration of the drug. My understanding is that three personnel presented with some serious side-effects and they received treatment and were improving. Whatever about the five indicated cases, is the Minister of State or others in the Department aware of other pending cases? Has there been a significant number of inquiries to the Department about possible claims in this regard?

If it is the case that some Defence Forces personnel are determined to be unsuited to the use of this particular drugs, with possible substitute drugs that have no concerns surrounding them, why is it that the Defence Forces do not administer the alternative product to all personnel rather than continuing to use Lariam? As I noted, use of the drug seems to be causing concern internationally.

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