Irish shoppers set for €4.25bn Christmas spree

CONSUMERS will have cash tills ringing this Christmas to the tune of €4.25 billion — an Irish retail trading record for the season.

Businesses are expecting shoppers to spend a massive €23 million every hour on Christmas Eve, possibly as money is withdrawn from SSIA savings accounts.

Retailers estimate spending will be up 10% on last year — the first time since 2002 expenditure has increased so high.