Ireland's annual inflation rate increased to a three-month high of 6.3% in August from 5.8% in July, the first rise since February, data showed on Thursday.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) was up 0.7% on a monthly basis, compared to a rise of 0.2% the previous month, the Central Statistics Office said.

The most significant monthly price increases were 4.2% in clothing and footwear and 1.7% in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels.

Annual inflation measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) - which excludes energy and unprocessed food, and is known by economists as core inflation - rose to 4.9% in August from 4.6% in July, in line with flash estimates. (Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Alison Williams and Jan Harvey)