Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Article 10 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/127 sets out the requirements for promotional and commercial practices for infant formula. This does not make provision for free or low-priced products, samples or any other promotional gifts, to promote the use of infant formula. These measures are designed so that the marketing and distribution of infant formula does not interfere with the protection and promotion of breastfeeding.

Encouraging mothers to breastfeed is a priority for the Department of Health. National health policy, including the Healthy Ireland Framework, the National Maternity Strategy, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan, and the National Cancer Strategy, emphasises the importance of supporting mothers who breastfeed, as well as taking action to increase breastfeeding rates in Ireland.

The HSE Breastfeeding in a Healthy Ireland Action Plan is the framework for progressing supports for breastfeeding in Ireland and compliance with the EU and WHO code is a key action to reduce promotion of infant formula. Additional funding of €1.58m was announced by Stephen Donnelly in May 2021, to fund 24 additional HSE Lactation Consultants thereby providing support to every maternity unit in the country.

It is important that children get the best possible start in life, and this is something all Government partners have prioritised in the Programme for Government. Ireland has a culture of bottle feeding; in order to improve child and maternal health, as well as achieve reductions in childhood obesity and chronic diseases, it is necessary to improve breastfeeding rates. Breastfeeding also has the benefit of avoiding, either totally or in part, the costs associated with the use of breast milk substitutes.

The Department of Health are working with other departments to offer a range of supports to vulnerable families. As part of our work on obesity, food and nutrition, this Department is represented on a Food Poverty group which is led by the Department of Social Protection.

To date the Government has introduced measures to the value of €12 billion to help ease the burden of inflation being experienced by consumers and businesses. Household transfers, including electricity credits, account for around half of the overall fiscal response, with tax measures accounting for one-third and the remainder is composed of business and other expenditure supports.