Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Fianna Fáil has believed for some time that the use of the drug Lariam has caused serious problems for the Defence Forces. I have raised the issue with the Minister of State previously. Serious concerns have been raised for many years about the use of Lariam as an anti-malarial drug for troops serving overseas. Last year the British Ministry of Defence acknowledged that 1,000 former service men and women suffered from severe psychiatric and mental health problems as a result of having been prescribed Lariam. These are the only people about whom we know and they are experiencing severe problems. In 2013 it was suggested in an RTE "Prime Time Investigates" programme that Defence Forces personnel who had been prescribed the drug were three to five times more likely to be at risk of suicide. This investigation was conducted in Ireland and we now have a former British army chief who has apologised unreservedly for its use. Does the Minister of State believe either he or any other Minister with responsibility for defence matters will one day have to stand up in the Dáil Chamber and apologise for the prescription of Lariam for our troops?

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