The Republic exported some £2.1 billion (€2.7 billion) worth of goods to countries outside the European Union in July, a fall of 18 per cent on the figure for June.

However, exports for the first seven months of 2000 are still some 41 per cent up at £13,826 million on the same period in 1999. Imports are up 23 per cent at £9,290 million over the same period.