Irish trade surplus rises to €13.1bn

IRELAND'S trade surplus with the rest of the world expanded in the first five months of this year to €13.1 billion compared with €10 billion the previous year.

This is the second highest surplus in the EU after Germany.

Exports grew by 10% which was the biggest of the 12 eurozone countries along with Luxembourg. The biggest increases in the EU 25 were recorded in the new member states with Poland's exports growing by 25% to €18 billion.