Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Niall Collins has said bovine tuberculosis (TB) levels in north Kerry and west Limerick are above the national average and are being monitored closely by his department.
Speaking at the Listowel Food Fair Farming Seminar, Collins described the local rise in TB as a significant concern. The event drew a large crowd of farmers from across the region to the Listowel Arms Hotel.
He said the department was very aware of the emotional and financial challenge that a bovine TB breakdown creates for farmers, their families and their communities.
National allocation and local pressure
Collins said more than €142 million had been earmarked for bovine TB measures under Budget 2027, while existing valuation ceilings for reactor animals had increased by €500.
He said the overall allocation was lower, but attributed this to a national reduction in bovine TB of about 10.9% compared with the same time last year.
While the recent local rise was worrying, Collins said there had been positive signs nationally in recent months in reducing TB levels. He credited the combined efforts of stakeholders engaging with farmers to reduce the risk that the disease poses to Irish herds and rural communities.
He said his department's continued focus was on reducing disease levels, which would in turn reduce the impact of bovine TB on farm families, cut the cost of the programme and lower costs for farmers and taxpayers.
Action plan and latest figures
The Bovine TB Action Plan, launched in September 2025, contains 30 actions that Collins said are underpinned by scientific research, evidence and veterinary expertise. In April, changes to animal testing and animal movement requirements were introduced to reduce cattle-to-cattle transmission.
Latest department statistics show that, as of September 27, 2026, national herd incidence over a 12-month period was 5.40%, down from 6.08%. The number of restricted herds was 5,353, down 12%, and the number of reactors was more than 36,374, down 9.5%.
Above-average levels of the disease still persist in various regions, however. Collins said the national reduction was due to the combined efforts of all stakeholders in engaging and supporting farmers.
He added that he was confident focusing those efforts locally, alongside the action plan and the changes introduced this year, would drive disease levels down further.
Day-to-day monitoring
Collins said the department was monitoring the rise in TB cases in north Kerry and west Limerick on a day-to-day basis. He said he would engage with departmental officials in real time because the aim was to reverse the trend, given its significant impact on farmers, farm families and communities.
He added that he had asked for more resources in terms of manpower to be made available to local staff to help them.