Irish manufacturing sends out a warning ahead of two key Government forecasts

AIB Irish Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index warns that factory activity has fallen at its sharpest rate since the depth of the pandemic

Any slowdown in pharma exports could be an early warning about the sustainability of Irish tax revenues which rely to a great extent on multinationals. Stock picture

Activity levels of Irish factories fell last month at their sharpest rate since the depth of the covid crisis, with key export sales in particular flashing a warning sign, just as the Government prepares to publish its latest economic outlook.

The findings come from the AIB Irish Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index which covers both multinationals — such as the large number of pharma giants that export to global markets — and Irish-owned factories selling products into the home market.