Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1340. To ask the Minister for Health if he will give due consideration to the establishment of an infant feeding communication forum across departments that is, with responsibility for children, health, and marketing of commercial formula milks and the Health Service Executive to align government policy, funding and Health Service Executive practices for the purposes of increasing breastfeeding initiation rates and the duration of breastfeeding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14232/24]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1341. To ask the Minister for Health if he will take the necessary steps to standardise breastfeeding education for healthcare professionals in maternity units and support in-service, role-specific breastfeeding education and training to enable implementation of the Baby Friendly Initiative in all 19 maternity units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14233/24]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1342. To ask the Minister for Health if he will take the necessary steps to fully implement the World Health Organization Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and its subsequent World Health Assembly Resolutions in legislation and ensure that this legislation is monitored and enforced in a transparent manner independent of industry, with particular attention paid to advertising and marketing online via baby clubs and social media influencers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14234/24]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1343. To ask the Minister for Health to provide independent, evidence-based breastfeeding-related education and training to all healthcare professionals likely to encounter breastfeeding mothers or infants/young children in their clinical practice (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14236/24]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1344. To ask the Minister for Health if he will take the necessary steps to provide for greater availability of breastfeeding preparation classes and breastfeeding support groups, and modes of delivery of same (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14237/24]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1345. To ask the Minister for Health if he will develop effective strategies for increasing awareness of infant and young child feeding materials within other sectors outside of the health service, for example, workplace settings, county councils, and allocate resources as required by the Health Service Executive to implement breastfeeding campaigns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14238/24]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1347. To ask the Minister for Health if he will develop an infant and young child feeding in emergencies preparedness plan specific to the Irish context in line with international guidance, incorporating and building on the operational guidance prepared by the Infant Feeding in Emergencies Core Group of the Emergency Nutrition Network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14240/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1340 to 1345, inclusive, and 1347 together.

Encouraging mothers to breastfeed is a priority, both for the Department of Health and for the HSE National health policy, including the Healthy Ireland Framework, Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan, 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 2016-2021 is the framework for progressing supports for breastfeeding in Ireland. A HSE Breastfeeding Action Plan Implementation Group was established to oversee delivery of the plan and a national breastfeeding Co-Ordinator was appointed as lead. The Department of Health works closely with the HSE National Breast-Feeding Co-ordinator in the implementation of HSE Breastfeeding Action Plan 2016-2021, which has been extended out to 2025. A considerable number of areas have been progressed over the last number of years and there are a number of initiatives currently underway.

The Department is working with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland towards the establishment of an all-Island Breastfeeding Network in the near future. In collaboration with the Institute of Public Health (IPH), it is anticipated that this Forum will provide opportunities for research, promotion of breastfeeding and stakeholder engagement to be developed across the island.

Education and training for Health care professionals HCPs is provided through undergraduate, postgraduate, and voluntary avenues. Currently the HSE administers a breastfeeding course on HSELanD that is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) which is available to all midwives, PHN’s and other HCPs. This updated National Infant Feeding Education Programme (NIFEP) focuses on standardising the delivery of breastfeeding education and skills training, maximising blended learning, and ensuring health care staff are up to date with emerging evidence. To date five thousand staff have enrolled on the course.

Training is provided in health specific undergraduate courses such as medicine, nutrition and dietetics, Speech and Language Therapy (SALT). Other postgraduate certificate courses are available specifically for Infant Feeding, such as the Breastfeeding & Lactation postgraduate certificate course in UCD. The International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant training (IBCLC) is another qualification that can be undertaken voluntarily through the IBCLC commission.

Further exploration in the development of a level 9 postgraduate education qualification for infant feeding will remain on the HSE agenda to strengthen professional development for healthcare professionals in promoting breastfeeding.

An important action of the HSE Breastfeeding action Plan is to strengthen compliance with the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and subsequent WHA resolutions. The HSE implemented its national policy to support compliance with the Code in 2021. Marketing of breast milk substitutes and new standards for infant feeding in maternity services requires that there be no advertising of formula milk, teats, bottles, and soothers in any part of the maternity services and that staff take active measures to protect themselves and parents, by not participating in formula industry sponsored training and events.

Furthermore, in 2022, revised Infant Feeding Standards for maternity and neonatal services were published in Ireland. This followed a review of the Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) in Ireland, and the publication of revised WHO guidance for the implementation of BFI in 2018. The Standards describe the infant feeding practices and management process required within services to implement the HSE Infant Feeding Policy for Maternity and Neonatal services.

Set out below is the current position of the HSE in the context of its responsibilities under the Code;

• Self-assessment against national standards for infant feeding in maternity services completed in 2023, including areas relating to the Code.
• Five of the nineteen maternity services have implemented non-branded teats into postnatal units to reduce marketing of brands.
• Review of procedures for infant formula completed in 2023, to ensure compliance with the national clinical policy for primary care.