I am trying to create a procedure that will read in a param and then use that within a cursor - see code below

i am trying to read data from another database via a db_link, the db_link name is the parameter being passed in using the command

BEGIN get_disk_times('TargetDB'); END;

the error being thrown is regarding the PL/SQL: ORA-01729: database link name expected relating to the line 'CURSOR'

Create or replace PROCEDURE get_schema_sizes_SIE(thisDB IN VARCHAR) IS

CURSOR cSchemas IS SELECT TRUNC(SYSDATE)-1 timestamp1, '||thisDB||' DB, owner schema, SUM(bytes)/1024/1024 Mbytes FROM dba_segments@'||thisDB||'
GROUP BY OWNER
ORDER BY OWNER ASC;

BEGIN

FOR ThisRec IN cSchemas LOOP
BEGIN
INSERT INTO schema_sizes VALUES(ThisRec.timestamp1, ThisRec.DB, ThisRec.schema, ThisRec.Mbytes);
EXCEPTION
WHEN OTHERS THEN NULL;
END;
END LOOP;
commit;
execute immediate 'ALTER SESSION CLOSE DATABASE LINK ' || thisDB;

END get_schema_sizes_SIE;

any help would be greatly appreciated

SQL statements must be static within PL/SQL procedures
or EXECUTE IMMEDIATE must be used.

Maybe, instead of guessing syntax of cursor for dynamic SQL, you should consult it in the documentation. Cursors (as part of PL/SQL language) are described in PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference book, which is available with other Oracle documentation books e.g. online on http://tahiti.oracle.com/
For 11gR2, the relevant chapter is placed here: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E11882_01/...mic.htm#i13057

But, maybe a single dynamic (EXECUTE IMMEDIATE) INSERT SELECT statement may be better choice over this cursor approach.

Finally, just a note about WHEN OTHERS THEN NULL exception hiding section: it just states, that you do not bother whether the INSERT fails, its failure will be silently ignored. So, in my opinion, the whole procedure is just a waste of time, as inserting nothing is also correct (non-failing) behaviour. If you do not feel so, remove that whole EXCEPTION clause forever.