The volume of Irish retail sales increased by 4.6 per cent in March compared to the same month last year, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The CSO said there was a monthly decrease of 1.2 per cent.
If motor trades are excluded the annual increase was 3.9 per cent and the monthly change was -0.9 per cent.
The value of retail sales increased by 5.6 per cent in March compared to the same month last year and fell by 1.4 per cent in the month. However, if motor trades are excluded, the annual increase was 4.3 per cent and the monthly change was -0.9 per cent.
During the three-month period from December to February the largest increase in the volume of sales was in the motor trades, which rose by 7.7 per cent; the largest decrease in the volume of sales was in the books, newspapers & stationery, which fell 0.9 per cent.