Irish food makers expand output while multinationals contract

Activity of food firms surged 19% from February and climbed by over 30% from March 2022.

Manufacturing contracted sharply in the first three months of the year, official figures confirm, as foreign-owned multinationals appear to have responded to slowing international order books, but Irish-owned food makers expanded their output.              

The Central Statistics Office figures support surveys such as the Purchasing Managers' Index that point to multinationals based in Ireland that include plants making pharma, chemical, computer,  medical equipment, and electronics products cutting output.