I want to ask the Taoiseach about the Defence (Amendment) Bill. This legislation will revive existing legislation on the deployment of military personnel overseas. One key issue of concern to military personnel subject to overseas deployment is the use of the anti-malarial drug, Lariam. Lariam was developed by the US army in the 1970s. Three years ago, on the back of increasing evidence of its psychiatric side effects, the US army said it is only to be used as a drug of last resort. The US Special Forces command has banned its use. Last month, the former head of the British army apologised to those soldiers who had been prescribed Lariam. The drug has now been withdrawn from sale to the public in a number of countries, including this State. PDFORRA states the Government is ignoring UN advice which recommends that an alternative drug be made available. Given there is now a substantial body of evidence on the harmful side effects of this drug, will the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence withdraw it from use? Will the Government give an undertaking that at the very least it will abide by UN guidelines in this respect?

Is there promised legislation?

Yes.

There was none on the previous item so, with the greatest of respect, we will hear the Taoiseach's response.

I am interested to hear Deputy McDonald quoting the head of the British army. It makes a change.

The Taoiseach is in bad form. This has nothing to do with where we were on Saturday.

The health of the men and women in the Defence Forces has always been a matter of priority for the Government. The choice of medication for overseas deployment, including the drug Lariam, is a medical decision made by medical officers in the Defence Forces having regard to the very specific circumstances of the mission, the individual members of the Defence Forces and where they are to attend. Significant precautions have been taken by the Defence Forces medical officers in assessing the medical suitability of members of our Defence Forces to take any anti-malarial medications. It is the policy of the Defence Forces that personnel are individually screened for fitness for service overseas and for medical suitability. Deputy McDonald is well aware that malaria is a serious disease which killed approximately 438,000 people in 2015.

Up to 90% of deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, as reported by the World Health Organization. Today, the Minister of State, Deputy Paul Kehoe, is in Cork meeting PDFORRA, the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association, and will address this matter somewhat further.

There are no plans to withdraw Lariam from the range of anti-malaria medications available to the Defence Forces. The use of and the information on these medicines are kept under review all the time. It is just one of a number of anti-malaria medications used by the Defence Forces. The choice of which medication to use is a medical decision. When a person is sensitive to Lariam, they are generally not deployed for service in sub-Saharan Africa. However, if for operational reasons an individual who has a specific skill-set which might be fundamental to a mission’s success but who had previously demonstrated sensitivity to Lariam or had a difficulty with its use, then one of the alternative medicines would be used. If during the course of deployment an individual developed sensitivity to Lariam, they would be advised to cease taking the medication and provided with a substitute. That individual would be monitored and, if their case was serious enough, repatriation might be necessary. Obviously, there are several cases being taken. They are medically screened.