The Government has unveiled a campaign aimed at encouraging more Irish women to breastfeed.
Rates of breastfeeding in the Republic among certain groups of women are low to non-existent, new research has shown.
Latest figures from maternity hospitals show only 41 per cent of women are breastfeeding on discharge from maternity care.
Ireland's breastfeeding rate, at just over one in four women, is the lowest in Western Europe. In Norway some 99 per cent of women breastfeed; in Germany, the figure is 96 per cent; and in Britain, 71 per cent of women breastfeed. France has the second lowest rate at 65 per cent.
Tánaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney
The Department of Health aims to encourage more women to breastfeed and to ensure they have support to continue breastfeeding when they leave hospital.
The Strategic Action Plan, which has been developed by the multidisciplinary National Committee on Breastfeeding, will see the implementation of 40 initiatives over the next five years.
It recommends education on breastfeeding for schoolchildren, regulation of the market for milk substitutes, regional breastfeeding co-ordinators and flexible working conditions for breastfeeding mothers.
It aims to increase breastfeeding rates by 1 to 2 per cent each year through the creation of a supportive culture.
Tánaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney said in addition to health benefits, an increase in breastfeeding rates could have long-term savings for health.
"Children who are not breastfed have a higher incidence and severity of illnesses such as diarrhoea, respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, diabetes, asthma, eczema and many other chronic diseases," she said.
"Children who are breastfed show better health outcomes into the future, with research indicating that they have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels and lower incidence of infections through childhood and into adulthood.
"In addition, breastfeeding reduces costs for employee absenteeism as parents of children not breastfed are three times more likely to need time off to care for ill children," she said.
