THE DEPARTMENT of Social and Family Affairs has apologised to a welfare recipient who was asked to stop breastfeeding a baby in a social welfare office in north Dublin.
The woman concerned made a complaint against the department in June of last year under the Equal Status Act which was later resolved following mediation between both parties.
While details of the case and the outcome of the mediation are confidential to the parties, the woman requested the department issue a statement regarding the fact that a woman has a right to breastfeed her child in all public places.
In a statement, the department says it fully accepts the right of women to breastfeed in public places. "Each year over 500,000 customers visit and conduct business in each of the 128 social welfare local and branch offices and staff seek at all times to treat all customers with efficiency and courtesy in their day-to-day dealings," the statement says.
"This isolated and regrettable incident highlights the need for particular customer-focused awareness campaigns for all staff dealing with members of the public on a day-to-day basis and the department is committed to implementing such an awareness programme for staff."
The Equal Status Act 2000 prohibits discrimination in the provision of goods and services, the disposal of property and access to education, on nine separate grounds, including family status.
Niall Crowley of the Equality Authority last night welcomed the outcome of the case.
"It is evidence of the importance of the family status ground for women who are breastfeeding, and I hope it will contribute to further developing a culture where it is seen see as normal activity and women are empowered to breastfeed in public places."
Mr Crowley said the Equality Authority had come across a number of similar complaints from women.
Official figures suggest Ireland has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in Europe. An estimated 40 per cent of new mothers in Ireland initiate breastfeeding and many cease doing before their infants are four months old.
