The total number of new cars licensed in Ireland last month was more than 73% lower than the same month last year, according to the latest figures from the CSO.

NEW car sales are slowing to a halt after a 41% drop in models sold last month.

WELFARE payments have increased dramatically, despite the economic boom of recent years, with more than one million people now in receipt of State supports.

BMW secured their first triumph of the 2007 Dakar Rally after Qatari driver Nasser Al Attiyah surged to victory on the 10th stage in Mauritania.

JEAN-LOUIS SCHLESSER finally broke the Volkswagen stranglehold on the 2007 Dakar Rally after winning stage four of the endurance event, but the result was overshadowed by the death of a competitor in the motorbike category.

The Central Statistics Office has reported a 7.6% increase in the number of new cars registered in Ireland in the first 11 months of this year.

The number of new cars registered last month was 6.2% higher than in July 2003, according to figures released today by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

More than 19,000 new cars were registered in Ireland last month, according to figures released today by the Central Statistics Office.