There has been a marked increase in immunisation uptake rates in children across the country with several areas reaching the internationally recommended levels.
According to figures published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), the uptake rates for children aged two for the DTP vaccine which inoculates against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) reached 94 per cent.
Uptake rates for the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine reached 90 per cent.
These are the highest rates on record and represent a significant improvement on the 2005 data when the equivalent rates were 90 per cent and 83 per cent respectively.
The World Health Organisation recommends that immunisation uptake rates should reach at least 95 per cent to prevent outbreaks of these and other diseases.
In Ireland the current childhood immunisation programme provides protection against twelve diseases all of which can cause serious complications and sometimes death.
Twelve local health office areas reached or exceeded the 95 per cent target for DTP, two areas reached 95 per cent for MMR and one area, Roscommon reached 95 per cent for all childhood vaccines.
Health Service Executive consultant in public health medicine Dr Brenda Corcoran said "These high uptake rates are good news as they mean that more children are protected from serious diseases than ever before.
“However the current mumps outbreak in older teenagers has shown that diseases come back when the vaccine uptake rates drop. We need to have rates of at least 95 per cent," she said.
Dr Kevin Kelleher, Assistant National Director of Population Health said: "These figures are very impressive and have been achieved through a partnership approach between the HSE and general practitioners involved in the delivery of the programme. Further work is still needed as we need to reach 95 per cent for all areas."