Exports to Britain rebound after teething problems with Brexit controls, figures suggest
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Exports to Britain rebounded following teething problems with Brexit border controls implemented earlier this year, figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) suggest.
Exports to Britain rose by 3% to €4.4bn during the first three months of the year compared to the same period in 2023.
“In the face of economic difficulties and new trade barriers, Irish exports have not only persisted but also increased,” said Carol Lynch, partner in BDO customs and international trade services.
The CSO figures also showed the total value of Irish goods exports increased by more than €2bn to reach about €53bn during the first three months, compared with the same quarter a year earlier.
The growth was driven by exports from pharma and medical device companies, one of the largest sectors in Ireland which accounts for around half of all exports.
In March, exports to Britain reached €1.7bn, which was 9% of total exports in the month. The products which accounted for the largest share of exports in this marker were chemicals and related products and food and live animals.
However, the EU accounted for 37% of total goods exports in the same month, most of which went to Germany, followed by Belgium and the Netherlands.
Brexit goods checks implemented by Britain in January seemed to weigh on the annual level of Irish exports, suggested previous figures from the CSO.
Exports to Britain declined to €1.2bn in February, a 5% drop compared to figures recorded in the same period a year earlier.