There was a 19.6 per cent increase in the number of new cars licensed in April compared to the same period last year, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

There were 16,903 new private cars licensed in April, compared to 14,131 in the same month last year. In the first four months of 1998 there were 64,278, licensed, an increase of 16.1 per cent on the corresponding period last year, the CSO said.