The value of exports rose sharply in January when compared to the same month of 2014, according to the Central Statistics Office.
More than €8bn worth of exports were recorded in the preliminary figures – up €1.05bn (15%) on January of last year.
Medical and pharmaceutical products were the biggest contributors to the increase – with exports in that area rising by €245m (26%) year-on-year.
Organic chemical exports were €298m (18%) higher in the same period.
When compared to the previous month, January’s exports were €443m (5%) lower.
Meanwhile, import values were €241m (5%) higher on an annual basis in January, at almost €4.8bn.
Organic chemical imports were 61% higher at €472m, while the import of road vehicles rose by 32% to €338m, as car sales continued to grow across the country.
On a monthly basis, the value of imports fell €30m (1%) when compared to December.
According to the CSO, the European Union accounted for more than half of Irish exports in January, taking €4.16bn worth of the country’s goods.
The country with the biggest single demand for Irish exports was the US, however, which received almost a quarter of all goods at €1.9bn.
