The value of Ireland's retail sales rose 1.6 per cent in August to stand 2.8 per cent up on the year, provisional figures from the Central Statistics Office showed today.
In July, retail sales fell 1.4 per cent on the month and were 2 per cent higher than a year earlier. Annual Irish sales growth has fallen back from a peak of 16.2 recorded in December 1999 as the global downturn has weakened consumer confidence.