Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am advised that former Ministers for Defence have met representatives of the group previously. Mr. Alan Shatter met representatives of the group on 26 May 2011 and on 3 February 2012. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, met representatives of the group on 14 January, 2016.

In late June 2016, I indicated to the group that I am open to meeting it. The group responded indicating that prior to any meeting it was seeking responses to numerous questions which it had raised at its meeting with the former Minister for Defence, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, in January 2016. The group was provided with the relevant response and it subsequently indicated that it was seeking a meeting date at some time after the Dáil summer recess. I have asked my officials to follow up to arrange a suitable date and time for a meeting.

The Deputy will be aware of ongoing litigation in respect of the use of Lariam in the Defence Forces, to which the Minister for Defence is the defendant. The State Claims Agency, SCA, is managing these claims on behalf of my Department. The SCA has advised that 51 claims have been made by current or former members of the Defence Forces who allege personal injury as a consequence of their consumption of Lariam. Proceedings have been served in 38 of these cases. The State Claims Agency advised that for various reasons seven individuals did not progress their cases which were discontinued and are now statute barred. Due to this ongoing litigation I will be limited in terms of what can be discussed at any meeting with the group. This has been indicated to the group by my officials.

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