The number of new cars registered last month fell nearly 64 per cent on the same period in 2008, the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.
There were 7,348 new private cars licensed in March, compared with 20,190 in the same month last year.
Some 27,000 private cars have been registered so far this year, compared 77,000 in the first three months of last year.
The number of new goods vehicles licensed in March this year was 915 compared with 3,858 in the corresponding month last year - a decrease of 76.3 per cent.
The figures indicate the total number of all vehicles licensed last month was 17,339 compared with 32,589 during the same month in 2008 - a decrease of 46.8 per cent.
The number of new vehicles licensed during March was 9,312 compared with 25,844 last year, a fall of 64 per cent
Of the new private cars licensed in March, some 40 per cent or 2,954 were petrol and 58 per cent or 4,281 were diesel.
The highest number of new private cars licensed in March 2009, classified by make, was Nissan (1,070) followed by Toyota (993) Volkswagen (971) Ford (791) and Opel (556).
