The Irish Times was the only daily newspaper in the Republic to increase sales in the first half of the year, new figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) show.
The figures covering the period from January to the end of June 2006 show most daily and Sunday newspapers struggling to retain their sales.
The figures cover circulation, not readership, which measures the number of readers per edition.
The Irish Times achieved an average daily circulation of 117,797 in the period, compared with 117,543 in the equivalent period in 2005.
This was a rise of 0.2 per cent year-on-year or 254 copies. Almost 97 per cent of copies were actively purchased, as opposed to sold at a discount or distributed free of charge. The 117,797 figure was an increase of 0.4 per cent - from 117,370 - over the six months ending December 2005.
The Irish Independent posted an average daily sale of 162,582 in the six months to June. This represents a drop of 0.6 per cent on the 163,598 recorded for the six months ending December 2005. Figures were not included in the latest ABC report for the Irish Independent for the six months from January to June 2005, but the ABC said yesterday that the combined sale during this period was 164,202. Of the latest average daily sale of 162,582 posted by the Irish Independent, 88 per cent were actively purchased.
The Examiner posted an average sale for the first six months of 57,217, compared to 57,331 in the comparable period of 2005. This was a year-on-year decrease of 0.2 per cent.
In the evening market the main change was a fall in sales for the Evening Herald, which posted an average sale of 87,645. This was down from 93,830, a fall of 6.6 per cent or 6,185 copies. These figures referred to circulation of the paper from Monday to Friday.
In the Sunday market the biggest faller was Ireland on Sunday, which posted a sale of 125,254, down from 139,170, a year-on-year drop of 10 per cent or 13,916 copies.
The biggest gainer was the Sunday Business Post, which posted a rise in sales of 7.8 per cent year-on-year. Its sale in the first half of the year was 55,876, up from 51,823 in the same period of 2005.
The biggest selling paper in the Sunday market remained the Sunday Independent with an average sale of 287,588. However, this was down year on year by 1.2 per cent or 3,448 copies. The Sunday Tribune posted a sale of 72,184, a rise year-on-year of 1.4 per cent on its previous figure of 71,187.
The Sunday World posted a sale of 204,575 in the Republic, a drop of 1 per cent on the previous figure of 206,704.
n Meanwhile the Star newspaper, which was not included in yesterday's figures, issued its latest circulation trends yesterday.
Because it is jointly owned by Express Newspapers in the UK and Independent News and Media (IN&M) its circulation figures are issued in the UK. The statement said its sale in the first six months of the year was 104,054, a decline of 1.6 per cent, although managing director Paul Cooke said its market share had increased in the period.
The Sunday edition of the paper experienced a strong rise of 16 per cent, selling on average 62,067 copies.
