Written answer
Health Service Executive
The Department was not involved in organising or funding the conference, referred programme queries to ALCI, and is preparing a National Breastfeeding Strategy.
3849. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the Health Service Executive was aware, prior to recent media reporting, of the content of the programme for the forthcoming national conference (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63157/26]
Comment on this
The Department recognises the importance of ensuring that the welfare, nutritional needs and best interests of infants remain central to all infant-feeding advice and support.
The Department of Health is not involved in organising the conference or determining its programme. As such, it would not be appropriate for the Department to comment on the content of an individual presentation. Questions regarding the programme, the evidence underpinning a session, or the professional standards applying to it would be more appropriately addressed by ALCI as the conference organiser.
The Department of Health has not provided funding for this conference.
The Department remains committed to the development of evidence-informed breastfeeding policy and is currently preparing a new National Breastfeeding Strategy.
I trust this clarifies the Department’s position.