The operation of Ireland’s only human milk bank, based in Irvinestown, could be affected by Brexit, an Irish Labour Senator has claimed.

Senator Kevin Humphreys recently launched a breast-feeding policy paper in which he stated: “Despite the risks of Brexit, and the proven benefits of a donor milk bank, there are currently no plans to develop such a facility in Ireland. The Labour Party believes that access to a milk bank is essential for all women on the island. If the Government cannot secure a commitment to maintain existing access levels to the milk bank at Irvinestown, then the HSE and Department of Health should commit to developing one.”

In an interview with The Sunday Times, he said it was clear that there was “no plan” and no forward thinking on the part of the Irish Government to ensure the life-saving supply of milk continued to be accessible. “The only thing that is clear is that Brexit will affect the milk bank detrimentally and there is no plan to minimise that, which is all the more reason why we need to go to a Plan B and develop our own milk bank,” he said.

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The human milk bank on Irvinestown’s Mill Street was established 17 years ago by former health visitor Ann McCrea and is staffed by the Western Health and Social Care Trust. The facility collects, processes and stores human milk and makes it available to sick babies in hospitals and other specialist baby units throughout Ireland.

Milk needed in an emergency usually travels by the Blood Bike Service. It is deep frozen and travels in insulated boxes. This service could potentially be affected by border controls.

Routine hospital supplies travel by hospital transport, Translink or An Post Express Post. Last year, 500 donations were sent to the Milk Bank and 900 babies received milk. The previous year 1,500 litres of milk was sent to units around Ireland helping approximately 850 babies including 90 sets of twins and 17 sets of triplets. 

The Labour policy paper points out that, in 2015, 349 babies in the Republic used the Milk Bank for medical purposes. Access to donated breastmilk is essential for supporting some premature babies. For example, Necrotising Enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious and often fatal illness which can be fought with breast milk.

The HSE has confirmed that there are no plans to build a separate facility in the Republic in preparation for Brexit and the HSE’s assistant national director of health, Kevin Kelleher told The Times: “In the event of a hard Brexit it will remain a priority to ensure babies born sick or premature in maternity hospitals of the Republic of Ireland will continue to receive breast milk.”

The Irish Department for Health told the Sunday newspaper that “ensuring minimum disruption to the border was a key concern during Brexit negotiations” and “as part of the department’s analysis and contingency planning in relation to Brexit, it is currently examining these issues and planning for a range of possible scenarios.”

A spokeswoman from the Northern Ireland Department of Health told The Impartial Reporter: “The Human Milk Bank in Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh, provided by the Western Health and Social Care Trust, is an excellent service for babies throughout the north and south of Ireland which is not dependent on EU funding or based on any EU legislative framework. Therefore, access and co-operation should continue after Brexit in March 2019. The Department will continue to monitor the outcome of the UK Government’s EU Exit negotiations and will consider any emerging issues which could potentially impact on this valued service.”