DUBLIN (Reuters) -Irish consumer sentiment ticked up slightly in September to remain close to a two-year low for the fifth successive month, suggesting the mood of the public remained “anxious rather than awful”, the survey’s authors said on Friday.
The Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Survey edged up to 61.7 from 61.1 in August. The reading has barely moved from April’s two-year low of 58.7 and is far lower than the long-term survey average of 83.8.
The drop in April was attributed to the prospect of U.S. tariffs on the European Union and the authors said the limited change since points to tariffs not yet translating into materially different economic conditions.
Ireland’s economy as measured by modified domestic demand (MDD) – officials’ preferred metric – has grown solidly in recent years and often defied more cautious sentiment.
MDD was 3.8% higher year-on-year for the first half of 2025 thanks to strong personal consumption, government spending and investment.
Ireland’s central bank last week revised up its forecast for MDD growth for 2025 to 2.9% from 2.0%, partly due to the effective new tariff rates between the U.S. and EU being less severe than initially feared, and unlikely to prompt a material loss of any existing foreign investment in Ireland.
(Reporting by Padraic HalpinEditing by Ros Russell)
