The importance of the UK to the Irish Republic as a destination market for exports has declined over the last 40 years. In the 1970s, the UK accounted for more than 50% of Irish exports, whereas in 2015 the figure was just 17%.
But that export trend is reversed for certain sectors of the market. For example,Ireland’s food and live animal exports to the UK have increased from 38% of the sector’s total exports in 2000 to 46% in 2015. Manufactured goods exports have jumped from 43% in 2000 to 55% in 2015.
“The figures reveal that although at the aggregate level there is a long-term trend decline in the UK export share, certain sectors still have a high exposure to the UK, and for some this has increased over the past 15 years,” the paper says.