The number of cases of tuberculosis reported in each of the past ten years is as follows: 1991, 640; 1992, 604; 1993, 598; 1994, 524; 1995, 458; 1996, 434; 1997, 416; 1998, 424; 1999, 469*; 2000, 416 (Provisional).
*The figure for 1999 has recently been revised upwards by 12 additional cases by the National Disease Surveillance Centre following receipt of additional cases from the Western Health Board.
The Health Act, 1947, and the Infectious Diseases Regulations, 1981, provide the legislative basis for the control of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, in Ireland. The control of infectious diseases is a matter, in the first instance, for the health boards.
The report of the Working Party on Tuberculosis, which had been established to evaluate policy on the prevention and treatment of the disease in Ireland and to make appropriate recommendations, was published in 1996. The report made recommendations for the prevention and treatment of the disease. The recommendations covered a range of issues including epidemiology, surveillance, screening, preventative therapy, clinical management and laboratory diagnosis. As recommended in the report, a permanent committee, the National Tuberculosis Committee, was established to advise on a detailed national strategy for the control and management of tuberculosis and it is developing such a strategy at present. It continues to keep under review all issues concerning the control and management of tuberculosis.