Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 25 Oct 1994

Vol. 446 No. 3

Written Answers. - Maternity Facilities.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

265 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health the action, if any, the health promotion section of his Department has taken to ensure that more widespread information is available to women who wish to breastfeed their babies; whether he intends to support the work being undertaken by the Irish Childbirth Trust and AIMS with regard to the improvement in maternity services. [1967/94]

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

The Deputy will be aware that I launched a national breastfeeding policy in August of this year. The purpose of this policy is to significantly increase the rate of breastfeeding.

Under this policy, I have designated the Health Promotion Unit of my Department as a national breastfeeding resource centre, in order to ensure that more widespread information is available to women on breastfeeding. The unit already publishes an information booklet for mothers entitled "Food and Babies", which includes a section on breastfeeding and this booklet is currently being updated.

All agencies who have an impact on the promotion of breastfeeding have been circulated with a copy of the national breastfeeding policy document. In order to ensure prompt implementation of the recommendations, I have requested that these agencies reply to the Health Promotion Unit, in six months time, detailing their progress on their implementation.

With regard to support for the Childbirth Trust and the Association for Improvements in Maternity Services (AIMS), the Health Promotion Unit of my Department has provided financial assistance to both groups, as well as to La Lèche League, for publication of their resource materials.