Retail sales in Q4 last year 'best since 2007'
The last three months of 2014 were the best for retail sales since 2007, latest figures have revealed.
The Irish Retail Industry Sales Review recorded a 4.2% growth for that period, with the jewellery sector recording a significant recovery.
The worst performing sectors were the photo and camera market and pharmacies.
Deputy Head of Retail Excellence Ireland Sean Murphy says the recovery has not yet spread to all areas of the country.
"There's no doubt that the major urban areas are recuperating faster than other areas of the country, but it is gratifying that sectors such as jewellery, which had a pretty torrid recession, are coming back much more strongly," he said.
"We're seeing jewellery across the country gaining very significantly, and that’s driven by, clearly, Asian tourists buying luxury brands, predominantly in the Dublin area, but also a broad-based recovery by consumers."
