A new initiative by the Department of Health aims to increase the rate of breastfeeding in Ireland by two per cent per annum for the next five years.
The move is part of an action plan to re-establish the culture of breastfeeding in Ireland.
Currently Ireland has a breastfeeding rate of 41 per cent at discharge from maternity care.
This is the lowest rate in Europe and contrasts sharply with rates of 99 per cent in Norway, 96 per cent in Germany and 71 per cent in the United Kingdom. France has the second lowest rate of breastfeeding at 65 per cent.
The Department's action plan aims to encourage more women to choose to breastfeed and to make sure they have the kind of supports that are necessary.
It is due to be officially launched next Tuesday to mark National Breastfeeding Week.
National Breastfeeding Co-ordinator Maureen Fallon said formula feeding has been the cultural norm in Ireland for the last two generations.
She said the global fall-off in breastfeeding in the last century happened later in Ireland and hence our return to a culture of breastfeeding has been slower than elsewhere.
"Because the practice has become uncommon, people do not necessarily react positively to it," she said.
Ms Fallon said the benefits of breastfeeding are maximised for both mother and child if it's practised exclusively - without supplementary formula feeds - for the first six months.
The Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children Séan Power today called for breastfeeding to be accepted as the cultural norm in Ireland.
Speaking after a visit to the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin, Mr Power said: ""Despite a widespread acceptance for the benefits of breastfeeding, we have not yet reached a stage where breastfeeding is recognised as an integral part of good child rearing."
He said: "Incredibly, breastfeeding, particularly in public places, is still something of a curiosity to many, but our message is simple - it's perfectly natural", Mr Power said.
