The volume of Irish retail sales increased by an annual rate of 8.6 per cent in February, according to the latest retail sales figures released today by the Central Statistics Office.
The retail sales index for February shows that if car sales are excluded the annual increase was 6.2 per cent.
A detailed breakdown of sales volumes show strong growth in motor sales, but bar sales continue to decline.
Sales of all motors increased by an annual rate of 10 per cent in January; bar sales are down 6.4 per cent.