Ireland's goods imports from Britain drop 20% in April

FILE PHOTO: Cranes are seen along the skyline in the Irish Financial Services Centre in Dublin

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's goods imports from Britain fell 20% year-on-year in April, data showed on Tuesday, the least severe monthly decline since new post-Brexit trade barriers came into force that meant imports were down 39% for the first four months of 2021.

Irish goods exports to Britain rose by 42% year-on-year in April, and are now up 7% so far this year compared to the same period in 2020. Britain has delayed the introduction of a range of post-Brexit import checks on EU goods until later this year.

Total Irish goods imports rose by 45% year-on-year in April on a similarly unadjusted basis. Goods exports were up 10%.

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Catherine Evans)