The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is closely monitoring a bovine tuberculosis (TB) hotspot in north Kerry and west Limerick, Minister of State Niall Collins has said.
Speaking at the Listowel Food Fair Farming Seminar, Collins said the recent increase in TB levels in the region is above the national average and is 'of significant concern'. The event drew a large crowd of farmers from across the region to the Listowel Arms Hotel.
Collins said the department is 'very aware of the emotional and financial challenge' a TB breakdown creates for farmers, their families and communities. He described the local rise as worrying while pointing to national improvement.
National picture
According to the latest department statistics, national herd incidence over the 12 months to September 27, 2026 was 5.40%, down from 6.08%. The number of restricted herds stood at 5,353, a 12% decrease, while reactors totalled more than 36,374, down 9.5%.
Collins said the national reduction of about 10.9% compared with the same time last year reflected efforts by all stakeholders to engage with farmers and reduce the risk TB poses to Irish herds and rural communities. He added that above-average disease levels persist in various regions.
Budget and action plan
More than €142 million has been earmarked for bovine TB measures under Budget 2027, Collins said. Existing valuation ceilings for reactor animals have increased by €500. He explained that the overall allocation is lower because of the national reduction in bovine TB.
The Bovine TB Action Plan, launched in September 2025, contains around 30 actions supported by scientific research, evidence and veterinary expertise, according to the minister. In April, changes to animal testing and movement requirements were introduced to reduce cattle-to-cattle transmission.
Local response
Collins said the department is 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 to try to reverse the trend because of its significant impact on farmers, farm families and communities.
He added that he has asked for more resources, including manpower, to be made available to local staff to help them. The department’s continued focus, he said, is on reducing disease levels, which would in turn reduce the impact on farm families, lower programme costs and decrease costs for farmers and taxpayers.
Collins expressed confidence that focusing efforts locally, alongside the bTB Action Plan and this year’s changes, would drive disease levels down further.