The week ahead in business: CSO figures on new vehicles and agriculture prices, and the latest data on imports and exports

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The motor industry pulled off a coup in 2012, when it persuaded the government to change the registration system for vehicles. Up to then, the format YY-County-Number changed once a year, in January. The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) pointed out that this meant the vast majority of new car sales happened early in the year. The Department of Transport agreed a change to twice-yearly, as a way to stimulate the market.

This is why “12” is the last two-digit year you see on Irish vehicles, with the following year featuring 131 and 132. It has helped to distributes sales more evenly throughout the year, with a second spike in July when the number

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