The rate of growth in trade with non-EU states slowed in April, the Central Statistics Office said yesterday.

This element of the Republic's foreign trade was valued at £1.83 billion (€2.32 billion) in April, up 33 per cent when compared with the same month in 1999. However, the business was worth 11 per cent less than in March, when seasonally adjusted exports were valued at £2.02 billion.