Mother's Day and Cheltenham underpin spending surge in March 

Central Bank figures show the total value of card payments in March rose to €9.24bn, up from €8.11bn in the previous month

Expenditure on groceries and perishables rose by almost 16%, largely underpinned by florists, who saw spending rise by almost 11% in what the Central Bank called a potential "Mother's Day effect."

The value of total card payments rose by almost 14% in March, underpinned by a surge in spending on groceries, agriculture, entertainment and charity.

New figures released by the Central Bank on Wednesday show the total value of card payments in March rose to €9.24bn, up from €8.11bn in the previous month. This was largely driven by a surge in domestic spending, which rose by more than 14% in the month.