Parents in the south of the country have been urged to ensure their children are protected against measles following a recent outbreak of the disease.
The HSE South's public health department said there had been an outbreak in Cork and Kerry, particularly among children who have not been vaccinated with MMR.
Consultant in public health medicine, Dr Fiona Ryan, said parents of children who had not been immunised should bring them for vaccination as soon as possible.
“The most important part of controlling an outbreak of measles is to ensure that there is a high level of immunity in the population.
“Measles can be prevented by immunisation with a highly effective vaccine that is part of the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) immunisation.”
The HSE said there had been a “significant increase” in measles in Ireland, with 165 cases last year compared to 55 in 2008.
It said the increase had been even more noticeable in Cork and Kerry with 53 cases in 2009 compared to 5 in 2008.
Ireland experienced its last major measles outbreak in 2000, when more than 1,600 cases and three deaths occurred, the HSE said.
For the first two weeks of this year, there have been 15 cases in Cork and 11 in Kerry.
Dr Ryan said: “Measles is highly infectious and can cause severe illness and occasionally cause death.
“As vaccination with the MMR is the only way to prevent measles infection, all parents must make sure their children have received the recommended two doses of the vaccine.”
The first dose is usually given at 12 months of age by GPs and the second in school at four or five years of age, but the vaccine can be received at any time.