Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The only matter the Deputy knows is legally privileged is the report obtained with regard to lariam in the context of litigation pending before the courts taken against the Department of Defence. My recollection is much of the litigation arises from a time when the Deputy's party was in government and the members of the Defence Forces were serving at that time. It was the Deputy's colleague who was Minister for Defence who explained, as I am explaining in the House, the circumstances in which lariam is prescribed, the assessment necessary of individual personnel prior to the prescribing of lariam and the checks required to be undertaken on their return from duty. The issue of the safety of lariam in the State and the appropriateness of its being prescribed is a matter uniquely within the competence of the Irish Medicines Board. As Minister for Defence I will not second-guess the expertise of the Irish Medicines Board. It would be completely inappropriate for me to do so.

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