David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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556. To ask the Minister for Health his views on a recent report (details supplied) published by the World Health Organisation; if there are plans to implement the recommendations of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12645/22]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the very recent publication of the World Health Organization report “How the Marketing of Formula Milk Influences Our Decisions on Infant Feeding”. The report covers eight countries: Bangladesh, China, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, the UK and Vietnam.

Encouraging mothers to breastfeed is a priority for the Department of Health. To deliver on this priority, the HSE is working to achieve the aims and objectives of “Breastfeeding in a Healthy Ireland – HSE Action Plan 2016-2021”. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the delivery of some actions, the HSE has extended the implementation of the Breastfeeding Action Plan into 2022 and continue to work on priority outstanding actions.

In 2021, significant investment towards implementing the HSE Breastfeeding Action Plan was announced, with €1.58 million of funding to provide an additional 24 lactation consultants across hospital and community settings. These additional lactation consultants will help ensure timely skilled assistance for mothers who wish to breastfeed and support enhanced training, skills and knowledge to frontline staff.

Officials in the Department will consider in detail the recommendations in the report.