DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish retail sales climbed nearly 9 percent in March from a year earlier on a sharp jump in car sales, data showed on Monday, adding to signs that the country's recovery from a banking crisis is gathering pace.
Retail sales volumes were up 8.9 percent in March compared to a year earlier, the data from the central statistics office showed. Sales climbed 1.7 percent on a month-on-month basis.
"These are very encouraging numbers that point to higher growth for the year," said Alan McQuaid, who said the economy may expand by as much as 2.5 percent this year compared to the government's forecast of 2.1 percent. Gross domestic product contracted by 0.3 percent last year.
Car sales were up 30 percent from a year earlier and 6.5 percent higher than in February.
Irish consumer confidence and employment have hit post crisis-highs since the start of the year. But strong monthly economic data late last year failed to translate into stronger growth.
(Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by John Stonestreet)