The Society of the Irish Motor Industry says new car sales so far this year have already exceeded the total for last year.
Just over 57,000 new cars were bought in 2009, the lowest number in many years. But the industry says it has already exceeded that figure in the first five months of 2010.
SIMI says 57,898 cars have been sold so far, up 41% on the same period last year.
It is now thought up to 80,000 new cars will be sold this year. At the start of the year, the SIMI had targeting a figure of 70,000.
Director general of the SIMI, Alan Nolan, says the scrappage scheme has helped to kick-start demand for new cars.
