Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Malaria can be effectively combatted by other prescription medication than Lariam, and most defence forces organisations around the world choose other drugs. I pose these questions against the background of Ireland remaining an exception in continuing to use Lariam.

The Minister of State should realise that the health effects suffered by the loyal members of our Defence Forces are real. They include acute depression, suicidal thoughts and many cases of suspected suicide and severe mental health problems as a result of taking this medication. Is the individualised medical risk assessment a policy paper? Does the Department actually have any evidence that it is taking place? Are records kept on file of the risk assessments? How does the Minister of State square what he says with the fact that people can give evidence that their prior medical history, which was known to the Defence Forces, was not accessed with a view to protecting them from Lariam when it clearly should have been?

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