The amount of Irish retail sales grew by 4.4 per cent in the year to the end of May, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office today.
There was a monthly decrease of 2.5 per cent.
If motor trades are excluded, the annual increase was 7.3 per cent and the monthly change was and increase 0.5 per cent.
The value of retail sales increased by 6.6 per cent in May 2006 compared to May 2005 and decreased by 2.2 per cent in the month. However, if motor trades are excluded, the annual increase was 8.8 per cent, and the monthly change was +0.9 per cent.
Today's figures also show that for the three months between February and April last, the largest increase in the volume of sales was in the electrical goods sector (+7.5 per cent).
The largest decrease in the volume of sales in the same period was in the hardware, paints and glass (-2.5 per cent).