Mothers and newborns cannot become collateral damage of HSE cuts

Marie Sherlock

11 September 2026

Mothers and newborns cannot become collateral damage of HSE cuts - The Labour Party

• Mothers and newborns forced to bear burden of HSE financial cuts
• Inequality must end between those who can afford private lactation consultants and those who cannot

Labour Health Spokesperson Marie Sherlock TD has said that Is unacceptable that a budget 2026 commitment for five additional lactation consultant posts remain unfilled due to HSE budgetary issues.

Deputy Sherlock submitted a parliamentary question to assess whether this commitment was fulfilled and confirmed that the positions remain unfilled as the HSE implements financial control measures.

Deputy Sherlock said:

“It is simply unacceptable that mothers and their babies are being asked to bear the burden of new financial restrictions on the HSE.

“The Government announced five lactation consultant posts in Budget 2026, but its own financial restrictions are now preventing those posts from being filled. You could not have a clearer example of a government making promises with one hand and quietly taking them away with the other. At a time when Ireland already has some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in Europe, this makes absolutely no sense.

“We know that Ireland is a laggard when it comes to breastfeeding and we need to take steps to improve breastfeeding rates. There is a real inequality amongst mothers who want to breastfeed, between those who can afford to access a private lactation consultant and those who cannot. We cannot allow that inequality to continue – these roles within the HSE are absolutely essential.

“Breastfeeding support is not an optional extra. Those first days and weeks are crucial, and mothers need access to specialist support when they need it. The Minister for Health needs to ensure these promised posts are filled without further delay. Mothers and newborn babies cannot become collateral damage in efforts to balance the HSE’s books.”

ENDS

PQ 42589/26: To ask the Minister for Health whether the five additional lactation consultants

committed to in Budget 2026 have been recruited; the total number of lactation consultants per

WTE filled and WTE funded; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Dear Deputy Sherlock,

The Health Service Executive has been requested to reply directly to you in the context of the above

Parliamentary Questions, which you submitted to the Minister for Health for response. I have examined

the matter and the following outlines the position on the various areas and issues you raised.

The HSE Breastfeeding in a Healthy Ireland Action Plan 2016-2023 remains the framework for

progressing supports for breastfeeding in Ireland. The HSE is partnering with key divisions to provide

the supports that mothers require at all stages of the breastfeeding continuum.

39.5 new infant feeding/lactation posts have been approved to hire since 2020. There has been a significant

increase in the number of lactation posts employed in the HSE since 2017, with 15.42 WTE in post in

2017 and 59.55 WTE in post at July 2026. A further 11 WTE are in recruitment (July 2026).

Five lactation posts were announced in Budget 2026 along with non-pay measures for breastfeeding

pumps. The positions remain unfilled as the HSE is implementing strengthened financial control measures

to ensure the HSE Regions remain within approved budgets while continuing to deliver safe, high-quality

care to patients and communities. All vacancies are subject to additional review and approval processes

to ensure that recruitment activity is aligned with service priorities and available funding.

The breakdown of overall funded posts, WTEs in place and in/awaiting recruitment is broken down in the

table below. This breakdown does not include posts announced in budget 26.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Yours sincerely,

Davinia O’Donnell, General Manager, National Women and Infants Health Programme