Ireland’s goods imports from Britain drop 24% in May

Ireland’s goods imports from Britain fell 24% year-on-year in May, data showed on Thursday, the second smallest monthly decline since new post-Brexit trade barriers came into force at the start of the year.

Irish goods exports to Britain rose by 28% year-on-year in May, the Central Statistics Office said. The fall in imports and rise in exports were both mainly due to changes in trade of food, live animals, machinery and transport equipment.

Trade across the border with British-ruled Northern Ireland, which remained in the EU’s trading orbit after Brexit, continued to grow strongly in May with exports to the region up 61%, month-on-month, and imports into Ireland more than doubling.