Bovine tuberculosis (TB) levels in north Kerry and west Limerick are running above the national average, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Niall Collins told a farming seminar in Listowel on Monday, November 9.
The minister was speaking about the recent increase in TB levels in the region. The seminar drew a large crowd of farmers from across the region to the Listowel Arms Hotel. Collins said the department was closely monitoring what he described as a TB hotspot in the region.
He said the rise was a significant concern and that he understood the emotional and financial pressure a TB breakdown places on farmers, their families and communities.
National trend improving
The minister placed the local increase against an improving national picture. Department figures for the 12 months to September 27, 2026, put national herd incidence at 5.40%, down from 6.08%. The number of restricted herds fell 12% to 5,353, while reactors were down 9.5% at more than 36,374.
Collins said the national reduction of about 10.9% compared with the same time last year reflected work by all stakeholders to lower the risk of TB in herds. He added that above-average disease levels nevertheless persisted in several regions.
Budget and action plan
The minister said more than €142 million had been earmarked for bovine TB measures under Budget 2027. Existing valuation ceilings for reactor animals were increased by €500. He explained that the overall allocation was lower than before because of the national reduction in TB.
The Bovine TB Action Plan, launched in September 2025, contains about 30 actions supported by scientific research, evidence and veterinary expertise, according to the minister. In April, changes were introduced to animal testing and movement requirements in an effort to reduce cattle-to-cattle transmission.
Collins said the department's focus remained on reducing disease levels, which would in turn reduce the impact on farm families, the cost of the programme and costs for farmers and taxpayers.
Local monitoring
The minister said the department was monitoring the rise in 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 impact on farmers, farm families and communities.
He added that he had asked for more resources, including manpower, to be made available to local staff to help them respond. Collins expressed confidence that focusing efforts locally, alongside the action plan and this year's changes, would bring disease levels down further.