Exports to Britain up despite Brexit uncertainty

Exports to Britain accounted for 9% of total exports, the CSO said.

The value of exports to Britain in the first four months of the year was just over €4.75bn, an increase of €369m, or 8%, on the first four months of 2018, according to the CSO figures.

Imports from Britain increased by €113m, or 8%, to more than €1.5bn in April compared with the same month last year.

Imports from Britain were 22% of the value of total imports in April, the CSO said.

The value of goods imports from Britain from January to April was €6.7bn, an increase of €899m, or 15%, on the first four months of last year.

Seasonally adjusted goods exports overall increased by €1.47bn, or 13%, to €12.45bn in April compared with March, the CSO said.

Medical and pharmaceutical exports increased by 21% to €4.6bn in April 2019 compared with April last year.

They represented 37% of the value of total exports, the CSO said.

The EU accounted for just under €5.75bn of total goods exports in April 2019, or 46% overall.

More than €1.2bn went to Belgium and just over €1bn went to Germany, according to the CSO.

The US was the main non-EU destination accounting for just under a third of total exports in April 2019, with a value of almost €4bn.

The EU accounted for 58% of total imports, or almost €4.1bn, in April -- a decrease of €167m compared to the same month last year.

The USA with €1.24bn and China with €419m were the main non-EU sources of imports, the CSO said.