Irish exporters shake off Brexit and trade concern for now as clouds darken

Irish exporters appear to have shaken off concerns over Brexit and global trade wars — but only for the time being — while consumer spending remains lacklustre, according to the evidence of official data and surveys.

In welcome news for exporting firms battered by the slump in sterling since the UK voted to leave the EU almost three years ago, CSO figures showed exports from the Republic to Britain climbed to more than €3.6bn in the first three months of the year, up 9% from a year earlier.