Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have raised the issue of breastfeeding on many occasions in this House, as well as the support given to women regarding it. This morning, I learned with great disappointment that the baby friendly health initiative for our maternity hospitals is ceasing from today because of the withdrawal of a miserable €50,000 by the HSE. I raised the issue by way of a Commencement matter on 12 July with the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, who gave an undertaking to come back to me very quickly but I have had no contact from him. There are many benefits to breastfeeding, not only in giving a child a healthy start and reducing obesity in children but also to the mother in the area of cancer prevention. I ask the Leader to bring the Minister for Health to the House to discuss what I believe is a very important issue that affects the health of our children and our mothers.

The initiative to which I refer is the only independent initiative that operates within our maternity hospitals and I believe the HSE has pulled funding because it does not like international benchmarking within our maternity service. It has been operational in this country since 1999 and now, without consultation, it has been withdrawn. I find this quite disturbing, especially given that it could be funded right through our period of deep recession. If we truly want to encourage mothers in this area and to support our hospitals in improving standards within the service, this initiative has to be re-established, independently of the HSE, as soon as possible. The baby friendly health initiative is recognised by the World Health Organization and UNICEF but the HSE has done this without consultation and requests to the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, to meet the voluntary group have fallen on deaf ears. I ask the Leader to facilitate a debate on this issue as early as possible.