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Accounts with the UK

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Current account with UK shows deficit of €1.7bn in Quarter 3 2019

MerchandiseServicesIncomeCurrent Account
Q2 20170.4523.172-3.688-0.065
Q3 2017-0.0393.253-3.0450.171
Q4 2017-0.5072.303-2.065-0.27
Q1 2018-0.2992.134-2.407-0.574
Q2 2018-0.2472.607-4.186-1.825
Q3 2018-0.2282.976-3.414-0.665
Q4 2018-0.5132.733-4.277-2.058
Q1 2019-1.0592.418-2.921-1.561
Q2 2019-0.7512.803-4.401-2.348
Q3 2019-0.7463.082-4.072-1.735

Current account with UK (See Table 3.1)

  • Merchandise exports were €5,353m in the third quarter of 2019, a decrease of €416m compared with the third quarter of 2018.
  • Merchandise imports were €6,099m in the third quarter of 2019, an increase of €102m compared with the third quarter of 2018.
  • Services exports at €8,179m increased by €725m compared to the third quarter of 2018, mainly due to computer, financial and royalties/licences services exports.
  • Service imports at €5,097m were up €619m over that same period in 2018. These figures were affected by increased levels of financial, business and tourism and travel costs.
  • Investment income earned in UK at €5,564m, increased by €484m compared with one year earlier while investment income payable to UK investors at €9,584m increased by €1,119m.
  • When these effects are combined, the trade balance with the UK has decreased by €411m and net income outflows have increased by €658m, compared with the third quarter of 2018. The result is a current account deficit of €1,735m in the third quarter of 2019, down from the deficit of €665m in the third quarter of 2018.

We have also included a new experimental table on foreign direct investment with UK (See Table 3.2); this table shows that direct investment in Ireland from the UK has decreased by €6,609m in the third quarter of 2019. Direct investment abroad from Ireland to the UK has increased by €180m in the third quarter of 2019 mainly due to an increase in reinvested earnings.

Table 3.1 Current Account with UK

Table 3.2 Foreign Direct Investment with UK


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