A survey which measures how consumers feel about the economy showed a further improvement in April, having risen to its strongest level in two years in March.
The consumer sentiment index, compiled by KBC Bank and the ESRI, climbed to 65.6 from 61.9 in March.
The ESRI's David Duffy said consumers were more optimistic about the outlook for jobs and household finances in the future. He pointed out that the index which measures how people view current conditions fell in April, while the index measuring consumer expectations in the coming months rose strongly.
KBC economist Austin Hughes said that consumers were still cautious, but there was a clear improvement in their mood. He pointed out that the April figure was still below the survey's long-term average.
The economist said the most positive element of the survey related to the outlook for employment. Though 65% of people still expected unemployment to rise further in the coming year, that compared with figures as high as 93% last August.
