Irish retail sales volumes rose month-on-month for the second time in three months in October, up 0.7% from September to stand 2.6% lower than in the same period a year ago, Central Statistics Office data showed on Monday.

The largest monthly rises were in bars (+8.9%), clothing, footwear and textiles (+7.5%) and motor trades (+2.9%). Sales have still fallen year-on-year for six successive months following a rapid recovery from a series of COVID-19 shutdowns.

With inflation running at an almost 40-year high of 9.2%, the value of retail sales were 1.2% higher than in September and 6.1% up on the year. (Reporting by Padraic Halpin Editing by Gareth Jones)