The surge in used car imports from the UK on foot of the Brexit-related weakness in sterling is continuing.

Figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show the number of used, imported vehicles licensed here for the first six months of the year rose by nearly 12 per cent to 50,272.

At the same time, the number of new cars licensed here fell by 5 per cent to 83,037.

The figures are broadly in line with those from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry.

Irish consumers have been ditching the purchase of new models here in favour of buying used premium brands in the UK.

The CSO figures come ahead of the July registration plate change, which typically boosts new car sales here.

They show that in June nearly 6,000 new private cars were licensed for the first time, a rise 2.4 per cent compared with June last year.