Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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188. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the development of the National Breastfeeding Strategy; the timeframe for its publication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62398/25]

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Encouraging mothers to breastfeed is a priority, both for the Department of Health and for the HSE, which is reflected across many health policies. The Department of Health is committed to improving access to resources that will increase breastfeeding rates in Ireland, which is an important public health promotion initiative.

Last year, the Department of Health formed a breastfeeding steering group to research and develop a new whole of government breastfeeding policy. The Government intends to build on the work of the HSE Breastfeeding in a Healthy Ireland Action Plan through the development of this multi sectoral approach to policy.

Over the last few months, the Department of Health has engaged with various stakeholders and has conducted bilateral engagement across government to inform how the new strategy will be designed.

The Department has appointed an independent strategy company to oversee wider stakeholder consultation to ensure community collaboration is strengthened to move society towards breastfeeding as a cultural norm. This process is expected to take up to eight months. A stakeholder event is planned for the 26th of November, followed by smaller focus groups in early 2026. The outcomes of this work will inform priorities for action in the new national breastfeeding strategy, which will be published in 2026.