Ireland's GDP grew 7.5 per cent in the first quarter compared with the same period of 2006, with gross national product up 6.4 per cent, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) today.
For 2006 the CSO said it had revised down earlier growth data, putting the annual rise in GDP at 5.7 per cent versus a preliminary estimate of 6 per cent. Final numbers for GNP put growth for last year at 6.5 per cent versus 7.4 previously.
The CSO found that consumer spending (personal consumption of goods and services) in was 5.4 per cent higher in the first quarter of 2007 compared with the same period last year.
Industry output increased by 14.4 per cent compared with the same period in 2006 and output of distribution, transport and communications was up 7.1 per cent.
Net exports (exports minus imports) were €278 million higher in the first quarter of 2007 compared with the same period of 2006.