The notification rate for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Ireland fell 11% in 2024, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).
Figures released this week show the drop was mainly due to big reductions in chlamydia and gonorrhoea.
However, that follows significant increases in notifications of both STIs in 2022 and 2023.
Figures show that younger people are more affected by STIs, notably women aged 20-24 years. Cases in men are spread over a wider age range.
The most common STIs in 2024 were chlamydia, gonorrhoea and genital herpes.
Figures also showed that among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM), the rate of gonorrhoea notifications in 2024 remains high but stable at 2,112 per 100,000 population.
Chlamydia notifications fell to 11,534 last year, from 13,705 in 2023, a reduction of almost 15.8%.
Gonorrhoea notifications dropped to 5,961 last, from 6,804, a drop of 12.4%
Mpox notifications rose to 25 in 2024, compared to 13 in 2023, far lower than the 227 cases reported in 2022.
The HPSC said that behaviour change, and immunity due to vaccination or infection have contributed to the decline in cases.
Notification rate of herpes increased by 9% to 1,834 in 2024 compared to 2023. Some 35% of cases were in young people aged 15-24 years, and 71% of cases were female.
Overall, STIs in young people aged 15-24 years fell by 23% in 2024 compared to 2023.
The HPSC said that Ireland, like other European countries, is not on target to achieve the World Health Organization (WHO) goals of reducing STIs and ending STI epidemics as a public health concern by 2030.
