Profit before tax and exceptionals at the Boots Group rose by 2.7 per cent to £581.1 million sterling (€963.7 million) for the year to March 31st, 2001, the company said yesterday. Turnover rose by 0.7 per cent to £5.2 billion. The company, which employs 1,200 people in the Republic, said it had significant increases in sales across its product range in its Irish network but gave no specific details.