A strong performance at its Irish operations enabled DIY merchants Heitons to report a 25 per cent rise in interim pre tax profits to €16 million.
The company - which owns the Atlantic Homecare chain of DIY stores - said total sales in Ireland grew by 8.8 per cent as the Irish housing and retail DIY sectors continued to be strong.
In Britain sales fell 17.6 per cent as rationalisation continued and currency translation lowered sales.
Heitons said the outlook is good for the second half of the year to though it noted that Irish housing market growth is unlikely to remain as strong as in 2003.