Independent TD, Carol Nolan, has said there are questions to be asked regarding the effectiveness of Ireland’s National TB Strategy and about how well the country is equipped to handle an increase in the Tuberculosis (TB) rate among the Irish-born and migrant populations here.
Figures released to Deputy Nolan by the Director of the National Health Protection Office in the HSE confirmed that the rate and proportion of TB among people born outside of Ireland remains higher than among the Irish-born population.
The incidence rate of TB for those who are foreign born is 12 times that of the Irish-born population, the data showed: with 20.4 cases per 100,000 for those who are foreign born, versus 1.7 cases per 100,000 for those who are Irish born in 2024.
In 2024, a total of 277 TB cases were notified, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre data showed – with 72% of notifications (208) being foreign-born cases, while 28% (69) cases were of people who are Irish-born.
The response to Deputy Nolan came on foot of a parliamentary question to the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, and stated that the TB incidence rate increased in 2024 and is now comparable to pre-pandemic levels.
The Offaly TD asked the Minister for Health her views on the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control Tuberculosis Surveillance and Monitoring that the incidence level of TB is likely to be highest among migrant populations.
“Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important public health issue globally, and a public health concern in Ireland,” the National Health Protection Office of the HSE said. “The ECDC report on Tuberculosis surveillance and monitoring in Europe published in March 2025 notes that TB is more common in a number of risk groups in Europe and in Ireland, including some people who come from countries with a higher level of disease than Ireland and other European countries.”
“It is important to emphasise that this reflects differences in vulnerability and prior exposure, rather than any inherent characteristic of the individuals concerned. Many migrants originate from regions that have a higher level of TB disease, or they may have experienced interrupted access to healthcare, overcrowded living conditions, or other social determinants of health that increase the risk of TB for any person in similar circumstances. These factors contribute to the level of disease seen at the point of arrival and during the period of resettlement.”
“Ireland’s National TB Strategy sets out a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to TB prevention and control. Central components of the Strategy include early detection, timely treatment, reducing barriers to care, and ensuring services are accessible and appropriate for all population groups. This approach aligns with international best practice and supports both
individual wellbeing and wider public health protection,” the letter said.
“The Government remains committed to implementing the National TB Strategy and to working with partners, including the ECDC, to ensure that our response to TB is inclusive, proportionate, and grounded in public health principles. Our priority is an evidence-based, non-stigmatizing public health response that addresses the underlying determinants of TB and protects both affected individuals and the wider population,” the office added.
Deputy Nolan said she is “deeply alarmed by the overall picture this data is painting. Clearly, we have a growing public health threat and clearly whatever measures are being taken to reduce the incidence rate here is not working. We already have a health system in utter chaos and lacking in capacity; the last thing we need is a major resurgence of TB.”
“The facts are the facts. This increase is being driven by population groups coming from countries of origin that have exceptionally high rates of the disease. That is something that should concern us all.”
“I appreciate that the National Strategy has screening controls, but if that only happens once the people arrive then I fail to see how it could meaningfully contribute to a reduction in the incidence rate of TB if the additional parallel measures are not in place; including those on the migration end of the problem.”
“We also know that TB is most likely to pass from person to person after prolonged close contact, such as living in cramped accommodation with high numbers of residents. This is exactly what is happening in many of our IPAS centres, where excessive over-capacity is a major crisis.”
“We cannot bury our heads in the sand on this issue simply because the facts point in an uncomfortable direction. The Government and the HSE must both work in concert to protect everyone on this island from any further and dramatic rise in this awful and debilitating condition,” concluded Deputy Nolan.