Ireland's annual consumer price index (CPI) rose 4.6% as expected last month from a 26-month low of 3.9% in November, Central Statistics Office data showed on Tuesday.

The data confirmed that inflation as measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), which strips out mortgage interest costs, rose to 3.2% while the HICP rate excluding energy and unprocessed goods rose to 4.3%.

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Kevin Liffey)