Used car licences rise to record high as new car licences decline in 2019

The number of new private cars licensed in 2019 dropped by 6.5% compared to the previous year.

Up to 113,305 new cars were licensed for the first time last year, according to the Central Statistics Office.

Half of all new private cars licensed in the country in 2019 were in Dublin and Cork combined.

Up to 39.2% were licensed in Dublin and 11.7% were in Cork.

The data also shows that the number of used private cars licensed last year went up by 9.5% to 108,895 in 2019 compared with 99,456 in 2018, the highest annual number on record.

Overall, 222,200 new and used private cars were licensed in 2019, the highest number since 2007.