The rates of the 'super bug' MRSA have halved since 2006, according to Health Minister James Reilly.

Minsiter Reilly stressed, however, that there was still a long way to go in reducing the level of the antibiotic -resistant bug MRSA in Ireland.

The Minister was speaking as a new natiuonal clinical guideline on prevention and control of MRSA was launched.

MRSA can, in certain settings, usually in hospitals, cause severe and at times fatal infections such as septicemia and pneumonia.