The services sector grew for the fifth successive month in December on the back of the strongest new export orders in over six years.
The NCB Purchasing Managers' Index of activity in the services sector eased back to 55.8 from 56.1 in November.
But it stayed well above the 50 line that separates contraction from growth, indicating that the Government's target of 0.9% economic growth for 2012 remains achievable.
December's figure, the third-highest in five years, was far stronger than the euro zone average of 47.8 in flash data
"With respondents across all four components indicating that they are upbeat about the outlook, as has been the case for seven months running, we would expect to see the positive trends observed in the second half of 2012 continue into this year," said Philip O'Sullivan, chief economist at NCB Stockbrokers.
NCB said that the continued momentum was driven by new export business, the index for which rose for the 17th month in a row to 61.3 from 56.2 in November. It was the highest level reached since September 2006 and the third-fastest since its inclusion in the index a decade ago.
The rate of job creation in the sector grew for the fourth successive month to remain at a five-year high, having contracted in each month bar two from March 2008 to August 2012.
A separate survey from NCB earlier this week showed that manufacturing sector activity expanded for the 10th month running in December, but did so at its slowest pace in four months as growth in new orders weakened.
