Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not know how we can have any faith in a working group and its hidden recommendations when the same working group, in its 2013 report which was also not published, had as one of its conclusions that the Defence Forces could continue prescribing lariam as a drug of first choice to tackle and prevent malaria. It found that the Defence Forces were acting correctly at a time when other defence forces and armed forces were ending the use of lariam to prevent malaria because of its association with major health problems among serving and retired members, particularly mental health issues.

Is the Minister aware of what is happening in other countries? Is he aware of major parliamentary inquiries, such as in Canada, the US, Australia, Britain and New Zealand? In their view, the continued prescription of lariam to prevent malaria was akin to poisoning members of the defence forces in those countries. If I were to say, as others have done, that the continued use of lariam in this day and age was akin to poisoning members of the Defence Forces, how would the Minister respond?

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