Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 November 2024
1075. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health in respect of the 2022 Women’s Health Action Plan, if he will report on his Department’s achievement of the maternal health goal of embedding lactation consultants in all maternity units. [44223/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraEncouraging mothers to breastfeed is a priority, both for the Department of Health and for the HSE National health policy. The Healthy Ireland Framework, Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan, the National Maternity Strategy, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan, and the National Cancer Strategy, emphasise the importance of supporting mothers to 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.
In 2021, Minister Donnelly announced additional funding to the HSE of €1.58 million to fund 24 additional lactation consultants to support more new mothers in maternity and primary care settings to breastfeed their infants. There are currently 59.1 WTE dedicated lactation posts employed in the HSE (34.5 maternity, 23.6 primary care and 1 in Children’s Health Ireland).
In the 2025 Budget, funding for an additional five lactation consultant posts was announced by the Minister of State, Colm Burke. These posts will be allocated based on service need identified in the HSE Breastfeeding Action Plan Progress report, published in September 2024.
The government recognises the invaluable role lactation consultants play in supporting new mothers to breastfeed and is committed to improving the rates of breastfeeding to promote health and wellbeing in Ireland.
