The recovering in manufacturing continued to gather pace in April as new orders flooded in to Irish factories, according to the latest edition o the NCB Purchasing Managers' Index.
The survey-based indicator, which gauges activity in manufacturing, found new orders grew for the eighth consecutive month as manufacturers benefited from strengthening demand in both domestic and export markets.
However, the overall PMI dropped from March's 54.4, indicating a slightly less marked rate of expansion than that recorded in March.
NCB's chief economist Mr Dermot O'Brien said the recovery in manufacturing is "consolidating" with solid growth in output being driven by strengthening domestic and foreign orders. "Employment gains remain modest but are now more consistent than in the early months of recovery," he said.
The survey showed that rising workloads have prompted companies to hire more staff although recruitment remains at modest levels as companies remain cost-conscious.