Industrial output in the State increased by nearly 8 per cent in the first three months of the year compared with the same period in 2002.
The seasonally adjusted volume of industrial production from manufacturing industries rose by 7.8 per cent, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
However, the CSO noted that turnover for manufactured goods fell by 6.4 per cent in the first quarter.
According to the CSO the modern industrial sector, which includes pharma and high-tech industries, showed a larger annual production decrease at 3.7 per cent compared with the 0.2 per cent decline for traditional sectors.
In the 12-month period to March, industrial production declined by 2.5 per cent while turnover dropped 12.4 per cent.