Vol. 338 No. 4
asked the Minister for Health if he will state in relation to the surveys on (a) marketing and distribution techniques and (b) gastro-enteritis in children under two years of age (1) whether the collection of formal data has begun; (2) who has been nominated to design and carry out the surveys; and (3) the completion date agreed for the surveys.
91.
asked the Minister for Health if he consulted any groups representative of Irish mothers when drafting the new Irish code of marketing of infant formulae.
92.
asked the Minister for Health when the new Irish code of marketing of infant formulae will be available as the WHO code resolutions were initially voted for adoption by Ireland in May 1981.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 to 92, inclusive, together.
Consultations have almost been completed on the draft Code of Practice for the Marketing of Infant Formulae and I expect the code to be available in the near future.
As I indicated in my reply on 5 May 1982 to a Parliamentary Question from the Deputy, my Department in complying with articles 11.2 and 11.4 of the WHO International code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, consulted a wide range of personnel and groups involved in infant and child care on the proposed Code of Practice for the Marketing of Infant Formulae. I am hoping that the consultation process entered into by my Department will facilitate the development of a Code of Practice which will ensure the availability of infant formulae in a manner beneficial to mothers and their infants. Before the code is adopted, my Department will circulate it to a representative number of women's groups.
Both of the surveys mentioned by the Deputy have begun. My Department have asked that the information on marketing and distribution techniques be supplied by 31 December 1982 and that the information regarding cases of gastro-enteritis be supplied by 31 January 1983. The health boards through community care, hospital and primary health care personnel, are carrying out both surveys on the basis of guidelines set out by my Department.
I might add that the World Health Organisation has formally complimented my Department on the manner in which we are implementing the WHO code and other resolutions on infant and young child feeding adopted by the World Health Assembly.
