Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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57. To ask the Minister for Defence given evidence presented at the United Kingdom Parliament Defence Committee's inquiry on Lariam on 13 January 2016 that noted the impossibility of being 100% certain that in every case, an individual is in fact individually assessed prior to being prescribed Lariam, how certain he is that every member of the Defence Forces is individually assessed prior to being prescribed Lariam; in what year did individual assessment became Defence Forces policy; and the operational procedures in place to both facilitate and ensure individual assessment prior to prescribing Lariam. [2793/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As I have already indicated to the House, the choice of medication for overseas deployment, including the use of Lariam, is a medical decision made by Medical Officers in the Irish Defence Forces, having regard to the specific circumstances of the mission and the individual member of the Irish Defence Forces. Significant precautions are taken by Irish Defence Forces Medical Officers in assessing the medical suitability of members of our Defence Forces to take any of the anti-malarial medications.

It is the policy of the Irish Defence Forces that personnel are individually screened for fitness for service overseas and medical suitability. I am advised by the Director Medical Branch that this has been the policy since the Defence Forces first embarked on overseas service.

Where the overseas mission is to a malaria-prone region, a medical risk assessment for Lariam is carried out on an individual basis. The Irish Defence Forces policy in relation to the use of anti-malarial medication is in line with current Health Products Regulatory Authority approved summary of product characteristics. Every effort is made by Defence Forces Medical Officers to ensure compliance with this screening policy.