The Irish Exporters' Association today reported strong merchandise export growth for the year to date.
In the association's half-year review published today, total exports for the year to date were reported to be up 7 per cent at €74.4 billion. Of this, merchandise exports increased by 6 per cent to €45.5 billion, while services exports rose 9 per cent to €28.8 billion.
Significant growth in the country's exports was seen in non-EU exports where merchandise exports grew by 23 per cent, with services exports increasing by 10 per cent.
The most significant increases were seen in exports to Switzerland which saw an increase of sales of 69 per cent to €1.8 billion, and the Philippines, which saw an increase of 169 per cent.
Exports sales to the UK market grew 7 per cent to 7.1 billion in the first six months of the year after seven years of stagnant trade between the two countries.
Export sales between the Republic and the North grew by 9 per cent to €866 million in the period - a situation John Whelan, CEO of the association, described as "particularly heartening".