New car sales have fallen this year as the uncertainties surrounding Brexit helped knock the still fragile confidence of Irish consumers, according to industry experts.

New car sales are at their highest in eight years.

New car registrations for March rose by 14% (21,597) when compared with the same month last year, according to official statistics from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI).

The number of new cars licensed for the first time surged last month, but remains far short of the buying frenzy at the height of the boom years, official figures show.

Car sales to date this year are already the highest in five years — as the motor trade continues to outstrip all expectations.

Car clocking is costing Irish consumers up to €60m every year, as the EU looks to stamp out the practice by creating a mileage database.

More drivers are still opting to change a car at the start of the year, with the bulk of new motor sales recorded in the first three months, despite the introduction of the dual registration system.

The number of new cars sold in the first half of this year is the best since 2008, and up 24% on the same period for 2013.

Used car prices increased by as much as a third over the last four years, it has emerged.

The sales of new cars rose by more than 25% in the first three months of this year, with the motor trade on target to experience its strongest sales since 2008.

The “clocking” of cars is set to become a specific criminal offence under measures announced by Transport Minister Leo Varadkar last night.

New car sales were down 6.4% in 2013 compared with the previous year, although the sale of new commercial vehicles was up 3% over the same period, according to the website, MotorCheck.ie.

The number of new cars sold here last month dropped by 22% compared to November last year.

The latest statistics from the Motorcheck.ie New Car Index show that sales for new cars in November are down 22% on the same month last year.

A debt-ridden truck driver who ended up storing a shotgun and cocaine valued at over a €250,000 for several months after taking a loan from a criminal gang has been given a seven-year sentence.

A man who held over €250,000 worth of cocaine and ecstasy out of "misguided loyalty" for a co-accused has been given a three year suspended sentence by Judge Frank O’Donnell.