Economics

Dan O’Brien: How much is post-Brexit ‘trade destruction’ costing this country?

Twenty months of trade data since Britain left the EU indicates that so far the news for the Republic is good – but it may not be set to remain that way

In the first eight months of 2022, the value of merchandise shipped across the Irish Sea hit a record high, coming in at more than €15 billion. Picture: Shutterstock

How has Brexit affected trade between these islands and how much are soaring energy prices costing Ireland Inc? The answers to these questions became a little bit clearer last week with the publication of the latest monthly merchandise trade numbers by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

With 20 months of trade data available since Britain left the EU, some patterns are emerging in the new relationship. The good news is that the Republic’s exporters have ...