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

This may be the last opportunity Members will have to paid tribute to the outgoing Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Seán McCann, on his three years at the helm, his outstanding work and on his career and lifetime commitment to the Defence Forces, as well as to welcome the appointment of Major General Conor O'Boyle. The former Minister for Defence, Tony Killeen, confirms this was an excellent choice. I also welcome the appointment of Mr. Maurice Quinn as Secretary General of the Department of Defence and wish Mr. Michael Howard well. I also wish to note to the Minister of State this is the second occasion out of four in which the Minister for Defence has not been present for Question Time. While accepting that any Minister can be called away, I note today, the defence questions were switched with the justice questions. Consequently, it appears as though the Minister is anxious to be present questions on justice but not so anxious to be present for questions on defence and that, in effect, defence plays a lesser role for him, which I regret.

On the issue of lariam, I am conscious that Ministers drawn from my party gave precisely the same reply the Minister of State has just given and that the Minister, Deputy Shatter, has given in the past. However, the growing concern about lariam across the developed world is such that the Defence Forces must re-examine the issue. They must consider it and not simply give Members stock-in-trade answers, which is what they have been getting for several years. Instead, they must revisit this particular issue. Some pretty clear evidence exists that there is a direct link between the use of lariam as a treatment or as a preventative medicine for malaria and psychotic incidents and incidences of suicide.

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