The Department of Social and Family Affairs has apologised to a woman who was asked to stop breastfeeding her baby in a public area of a north Dublin Social Welfare Office.
The woman complained to the Department in June 2007 under the Equal Status Acts.
The Equality Tribunal conducted a successful mediation between the parties. The woman asked the Department to issue a statement regarding the fact that a woman has a right to breastfeed her child in all public places.
The Department apologised to the woman and said it fully accepted her right to breastfeed.
In a statement today the Department said: “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 we are committed to implementing such an awareness programme for staff."