Archive for the ‘Defence’ Category
Clare questions the new Minister for Defence about when we’re likely to see the Report of the Working Group on Lariam – which we’ve been waiting for since 2013. She points out that things have changed radically since the last time she had to opportunity to question the Minister on this issue, with the British Department of Defence now recommending the drug be used as an absolute last resort, because of the severity and permanence of its side effects, and the Australian Defence Forces offering compensation to soldiers who have been affected by taking it. Despite this, the Irish Department of Defence’s policy is still to administer this drug as its first choice anti-malarial.
Clare speaking on the EU Battlegroups, which are military forces of up to 12,000 troops, happy days for the arms industry, but Irish troops aligned with this is an absolute affront to our neutrality.
From Ed Horgan at Shannon Watch
Easter Sunday morning at 9am United States Navy Lockheed C-130T Hercules 165313 c/n 5383 Fleet Logistics Support Squadron based in Jacksonville, Florida USA is back in Shannon, having been here also on Good Friday, probably having been on a mission to the Middle East in the meantime, delivering troops or other war materials to the killing fields. Once again it is being protected by Gardaí and Irish army personnel. These Gardaí and Irish army personnel should be celebrating the centenary of Irish independence and sovereignty today, except of course that our Government (or so-called acting-Government) have handed over our independence and sovereignty to the United States of America at Shannon airport.
Happy Easter?? Not if one is at the receiving end of the war materials being transported through Shannon airport on this and other US war planes on a daily basis.
Clare asks the Minister why Lariam continues to be the first-line drug of choice for Irish Defence Forces serving in Sub-Saharan Africa, given the high risk of serious, permanent neuropsychiatric side-effects being experienced by those who take the drug. Side-effects include depression, anxiety, hallucinations, psychosis, and sleep disturbance. Lariam is a third-line, drug of last resort for US troops serving in the same region, one which is only issued if other anti-malarials aren’t tolerated by an individual for some reason, because of the severity and permanence of its side-effects.