Ireland’s goods exports to the United States plunged by a striking €16 billion in April, sliding from €25.7 billion in March to €9.7 billion, but compared with April 2024, exports to the US climbed by €3.2 billion – a 48.6% year‑on‑year increase.
April’s figures, released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), reveal a dramatic shift in Ireland’s trade patterns. Seasonally adjusted goods exports to the US tumbled 62% month‑on‑month, plummeting €16 billion to €9.7 billion. Yet measured against April 2024, US‑bound exports grew from €6.6 billion to €9.7 billion, a 48.6% rise.
At the aggregate level, unadjusted exports of goods in April reached €21.9 billion — up €2.5 billion (+12.7%) compared with April 2024, but down sharply by €16.24 billion (−43%) from March’s €38.1 billion. Unadjusted imports also declined, falling 18% (€2.4 billion) sequentially to €10.8 billion and dipping 0.2% (€18.7 million) vs April 2024 (€10.77 billion).
Economists agree the main factor behind April’s drop-off is a hangover from "Liberation Day" tariffs imposed by President Trump on the European Union in early April. These prompted an initial surge in pre‑tariff stockpiling by Irish pharmaceutical and chemical firms, which then sharply unwound in April.
CSO statistician Jane Burmanje noted that April’s export decline “is primarily driven by a decline in exports to the US,” with medical and pharmaceutical shipments falling €12.8 billion month‑on‑month.
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Similarly, Carol Lynch, head of customs and international trade services at BDO, told Business Plus, “This is largely attributable to a reduction in exports to the US as stockpiling decreased after the imposition of the Liberation Day universal tariffs on April 5th.”
Lynch also highlighted that although April’s volumes fell from March, export levels remain well ahead of last year, with US‑bound shipments for the first four months of 2025 running 170% higher than the same period in 2024.
Despite the volatility, the year-on-year growth in exports suggests businesses retain underlying strength—but the looming question remains: what happens after the tariff “pause” expires on July 9? Trade experts and firms will be watching negotiations closely, as any new escalation could hit Ireland’s export‑driven economy hard. As CSO commentary highlighted, the data are provisional and subject to future revision, meaning April’s pattern may yet be fine‑tuned.
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