Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2023
647. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will be sending a representative to the Global Congress on Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes in Geneva. [29287/23]
View answerThe Department of Health endorses the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes.
A priority for both the Department of Health and the HSE is to encourage more mothers to breastfeed. National health policy, including the Healthy Ireland Framework, 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.
It is important that children get the best possible start in life, and this is something all Government partners have prioritised in the Programme for Government. Ireland has a culture of bottle feeding; to improve child and maternal health, as well as achieve reductions in childhood obesity and chronic diseases, it is necessary to improve breastfeeding rates.
The HSE Breastfeeding in a Healthy Ireland Action Plan is the framework for progressing supports for breastfeeding in Ireland. One key action in the framework is to strengthen compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and subsequent WHA resolutions. A HSE Policy for staff on the Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes came into effect in October 2021. It requires that all services comply with the WHO Code.
Article 10 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/127 sets out the requirements for promotional and commercial practices for infant formula. This does not make provision for free or low-priced products, samples or any other promotional gifts, to promote the use of infant formula. These measures are designed so that the marketing and distribution of infant formula does not interfere with the protection and promotion of breastfeeding.
The Online Safety and Media Regulation (OMSR) Act came into effect in 2022. Coimisiún na Meán has been set up in 2023 to replace the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). Under the OMSR Act, Broadcasting codes will be superseded by media service codes, which will apply to both video-on-demand and broadcasting services. Furthermore, An Coimisiún is enabled to make online safety codes which apply to designated online services, such as video-sharing platform services (e.g., YouTube). Media service and online safety codes may provide for the regulation of commercial communications relating to foods or beverages which may be the subject of public concern, in respect of the public health interests and of children, including marketing of follow-on infant formula and foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS). As the Department responsible for public health policy, the Department of Health expects to contribute to and be consulted on the making of any codes by Coimisiún na Meán relating to the advertisement of food or beverages at children and follow-on infant formula.
The Department of Health, Health and Wellbeing Programme are unable to send representation to the WHO-convened Global Congress on Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes in Geneva in June 2023 because of other diary commitments.
