Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We do not have large numbers of Defence Forces personnel in sub-Saharan Africa at the moment, but that is not the point. The point is that if the recommendation is that Lariam is the most appropriate drug for a region to which we are sending Defence Forces personnel, then of course there is a screening process. I have had long and detailed meetings with the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence on this issue to get an understanding of those screening processes in terms of ensuring that people are suitable for taking Lariam to protect themselves against malaria. That is as it is at the moment. If the expert working group we have asked to report to us on this comes back and makes suggestions, we will listen to them.

The so-called international best practice Deputy Daly is talking about does not reflect medical best practice on the basis of what we are currently making decisions on, given the advice I have and the Irish Defence Forces policy on the use of anti-malarial medication, which is in line with the current Health Products Regulatory Authority approved summary of product characteristics. That is basically a technical way of saying it is consistent with the medical advice related to those products. We will continue to try to do what is in the best interests of our Defence Forces personnel.

If the working group recommends something different, I will be the first to make the change immediately. However, I must wait until I get that report rather than making a change on the basis of what some other country somewhere else is doing.

See this speech in context