Forces use drug to prevent malaria, not for legal reasons, says Minister

The Defence Forces continue the use of the antimalarial drug Lariam to ensure soldiers do not contract the disease and not because of legal cases being taken, Minister for Defence Simon Coveney has insisted.

He rejected the suggestion from Sinn Féin defence spokesman Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, who said he was worried that “rather than the State just acknowledging there is an issue, it will defend it to the last and continue to use Lariam when there are other options available”.

Mr Mac Lochlainn, who has repeatedly raised the issue during Dáil defence question time, said a number of Defence Forces personnel were taking legal action over the controversial drug because of alleged effects on their mental health. The Donegal North-East TD said the United States forces no longer used the drug and he asked if the Minister would stop its use by the Defence Forces.

The Minister responded that there were many TDs who “sometimes are not overly complimentary about the US military in terms of some of the decisions it makes”.

He told the Dáil: “I want to set the record straight . . . We are continuing the use of Lariam in the Defence Forces to ensure we have a responsible approach towards ensuring members of the Defence Forces do not contract malaria.”

He added that if there was growing international evidence to the contrary “we will look at it, whether it is in the US or in some other part of Europe or the world”.