New car boom as sales rise by 11%

THE number of new cars registered in the Republic last year increased to more than 166,000 as sales grew by just over 11%.

Figures published by the Central Statistics Office yesterday show that 166,270 private cars were licensed for the first time in 2005 - the third highest number ever recorded after 1999 and 2000.

The number of second-hand private cars registered jumped by 78% to over 31,000 vehicles, in what is seen as an indication of the growing number of migrant workers in the Republic.