NATIONAL Newspapers of Ireland has reported an increase in spend on press advertising last year to €367 million.

NEWSPAPER advertising sales hit €331 million in 2005, an increase of 15% over 2004.

BRINDLEY Advertising, which holds the lucrative Government print advertising account, has been sold to a British firm in a deal worth up to €12 million.

A SURGE in advertising sales at the Irish Examiner helped fuel a 20% increase in first-half advertising revenue in the country’s major national newspapers.

AN increase of 13.5% in spend pushed advertising in national newspapers to a record €287 million in 2004.