Growth in the manufacturing part of the economy continued last month, but progress was at its weakest level for a year and a half, latest monthly data from specialist financial services group Investec shows.

Optimism among service sector firms remains high, on the back of June bringing the strongest level of business growth in nearly nine years.

Ireland’s deficit fell at an impressive rate at the tail end of last year, with the final quarter deficit just above the EU-imposed limit the Government will have to reach by the end of 2015.