The State had the lowest reported number of cases yet recorded of tuberculosis in 2000, but the levels of the disease rose again the following year.
Latest figures from the Minister for Health show that in 2000 there were 395 cases reported across the eight health boards, a drop of 74 on the previous year's 469 cases. However, in 2001 the incidence of the infectious disease rose from 395 to 406, an increase of 11 reported cases.
Only figures for the first six months of 2002 were given by the Minister in a written reply to a parliamentary question. Those statistics show 183 cases for January to June 2002.
Mr Michael Ring TD (FG, Mayo) had asked for the number of recorded outbreaks for the past three years, following the death of a person in Mayo earlier this year from TB.
Pointing out that the figures for 2001 and 2002 were provisional, Mr Martin said there had been a steady decline in the level of the disease for the past 20 years.