Exports to the US in April continued to fall compared to 2025 figures, according to new data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
In early 2025, Irish companies front-loaded exports to the US amid fears about the impact of US President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on Irish business.
This led to a surge in export figures, which have been followed by swollen declines in goods exported to the US so far in 2026.
Irish exports to the US s amounted to €5.1 billion in April, a 45.1 per cent drop compared to the €9.4 billion recorded at this time last year. However, exports to the UK have risen.
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Overall, Irish exports were down by €2.8 billion from April 2025, but dropped by just €900 million compared to April 2024, further indicating the impact of Donald Trump’s trade policy on global exports and imports.
Imports were up from 2025 figures by 22 per cent, with 13.2 billion worth of goods coming into Ireland in April.
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Meanwhile, a subtle incline from March’s figures was noted, with month-on-month exports up by 8.9 per cent and imports up by 1.8 per cent.
“Today’s trade figures point to a continued reshaping of Ireland’s export landscape,” said Robert Purdue, head of client portfolio management at global financial services firm Ebury (Ireland).
“While overall exports remain below last year’s levels, the sharp decline in shipments to the United States suggests Irish exporters are still feeling the effects of trade tensions and evolving tariff policies, particularly in sectors with strong transatlantic exposure like pharma,” he added.
Elsewhere, Purdue noted exports of petroleum and related products and materials more than tripled to €167.9 million, likely due to bolstered demand in the wake of conflict in Iran.
Ireland’s largest exports were of chemicals and related products, which include medical and pharmaceutical products. They alone accounted for just over half of all Irish exports in April, at an accumulative value of €9.8 billion, with €7.8 billion of this representing pharmaceutical and medical products.
However, such exports still saw a 27.9 per cent drop in comparison to 2025 figures.
While exports to the US continued to decline, a significant increase in goods exported to the UK was also recorded, rising by 51.7 per cent to €1.9 billion in April.
“The main driver of this increase was a rise in exports of goods related to machinery and transport equipment to Great Britain, which more than doubled to €724.2 million in April 2026 compared with April 2025 (€236.1 million),” said Jane Burmanje, statistician in the international trade in goods division of the CSO.
Purdue also noted that “the strong growth in exports to Great Britain demonstrates how quickly Irish businesses are adapting to changing global trade dynamics”.
