This chapter presents information on the transport sector of the Irish economy. The transport tables cover new vehicles by taxation class and by local authority, goods carried by road, goods handled by Irish ports and passengers and freight carried by Irish airports.
| 19.1 New motor vehicles licensed for the first time by taxation class | Number | ||||||||
| Taxation class | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| Private cars | 166,270 | 173,273 | 180,754 | 146,470 | 54,432 | 84,907 | 86,932 | 76,256 | 71,348 |
| Goods vehicles | 38,396 | 43,619 | 46,043 | 31,459 | 10,051 | 10,510 | 11,188 | 10,855 | 11,024 |
| Tractors | 3,168 | 3,687 | 4,442 | 4,154 | 1,883 | 1,359 | 1,731 | 1,996 | 4,403 |
| Motor cycles | 3,240 | 3,206 | 3,522 | 3,194 | 1,879 | 1,321 | 1,102 | 955 | 878 |
| Exempt vehicles | 4,851 | 6,169 | 7,422 | 6,286 | 3,690 | 4,207 | 4,014 | 3,930 | 3,955 |
| Public service vehicles | 1,400 | 1,732 | 1,956 | 1,614 | 493 | 306 | 297 | 531 | 378 |
| Small | 902 | 1,033 | 1,283 | 893 | 190 | 193 | 195 | 275 | 160 |
| Large | 498 | 699 | 673 | 721 | 303 | 113 | 102 | 256 | 218 |
| Machines or contrivances | 1,359 | 1,327 | 1,445 | 906 | 409 | 222 | 294 | 409 | 606 |
| Other classes | 600 | 714 | 862 | 734 | 288 | 244 | 203 | 161 | 295 |
| Total | 219,284 | 233,727 | 246,446 | 194,817 | 73,125 | 103,076 | 105,761 | 95,093 | 92,887 |
| Source: CSO | |||||||||
Interactive table: StatBank link
There were 71,348 new private cars licensed in the year to the end of December 2013, a fall of 6.4% compared to the same period in 2012. In total, there were 92,887 new vehicles licensed during 2013 and this was down 2.3% on 2012.
| 19.2 New vehicles licensed for the first time by licensing authority | Number | ||||||||
| Licensing authority | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| Carlow | 2,523 | 2,919 | 3,268 | 2,619 | 959 | 1,371 | 1,357 | 1,149 | 1,152 |
| Cavan | 2,989 | 3,241 | 3,465 | 2,676 | 929 | 1,285 | 1,315 | 1,153 | 1,112 |
| Clare | 4,783 | 5,119 | 5,526 | 4,470 | 1,451 | 2,356 | 2,377 | 1,869 | 1,795 |
| Donegal | 5,024 | 5,446 | 6,014 | 4,465 | 1,828 | 2,909 | 2,515 | 2,193 | 2,051 |
| Galway | 9,463 | 10,265 | 10,839 | 8,403 | 2,940 | 4,560 | 4,571 | 3,701 | 3,670 |
| Kerry | 4,865 | 5,412 | 5,651 | 4,513 | 1,694 | 2,705 | 2,508 | 2,193 | 1,953 |
| Kildare | 10,004 | 10,651 | 11,130 | 8,697 | 2,902 | 4,152 | 4,267 | 3,693 | 3,767 |
| Kilkenny | 4,053 | 4,415 | 4,996 | 3,910 | 1,417 | 2,072 | 2,143 | 1,864 | 1,825 |
| Laois | 3,028 | 3,134 | 3,509 | 3,034 | 974 | 1,408 | 1,416 | 1,131 | 1,192 |
| Leitrim | 994 | 1,182 | 1,223 | 940 | 355 | 529 | 542 | 450 | 445 |
| Limerick County | 6,888 | 7,525 | 8,193 | 6,190 | 2,179 | 3,412 | 3,448 | 3,129 | 2,850 |
| Longford | 1,494 | 1,523 | 1,776 | 1,381 | 519 | 677 | 723 | 602 | 552 |
| Louth | 5,150 | 5,647 | 6,018 | 4,725 | 1,818 | 2,562 | 2,469 | 2,067 | 1,824 |
| Mayo | 5,458 | 5,962 | 5,780 | 4,314 | 1,586 | 2,293 | 2,195 | 1,961 | 1,929 |
| Meath | 8,933 | 9,456 | 9,996 | 7,641 | 2,553 | 3,584 | 3,398 | 2,933 | 2,854 |
| Monaghan | 2,381 | 2,726 | 2,705 | 2,071 | 719 | 1,138 | 1,110 | 979 | 947 |
| Offaly | 3,244 | 3,516 | 3,751 | 3,038 | 952 | 1,417 | 1,303 | 1,223 | 1,227 |
| Roscommon | 3,670 | 3,533 | 4,154 | 3,277 | 1,449 | 2,142 | 2,369 | 3,203 | 3,717 |
| Sligo | 2,657 | 2,835 | 2,918 | 2,359 | 907 | 1,280 | 1,246 | 1,063 | 984 |
| Tipperary North | 3,176 | 3,982 | 4,295 | 3,574 | 1,261 | 1,958 | 2,105 | 1,884 | 1,692 |
| Tipperary South | 3,685 | 3,511 | 3,753 | 2,992 | 1,015 | 1,430 | 1,229 | 1,119 | 1,090 |
| Waterford County | 2,510 | 3,240 | 3,637 | 2,746 | 996 | 1,739 | 1,612 | 1,342 | 1,355 |
| Westmeath | 3,537 | 4,028 | 4,201 | 3,147 | 1,140 | 2,041 | 1,842 | 1,689 | 1,729 |
| Wexford | 7,516 | 8,927 | 8,789 | 7,121 | 2,481 | 3,636 | 3,657 | 3,031 | 3,172 |
| Wicklow | 5,812 | 6,398 | 6,782 | 5,284 | 1,793 | 2,550 | 2,316 | 2,020 | 1,933 |
| Cork County and | |||||||||
| City Council | 28,568 | 30,114 | 31,767 | 25,026 | 10,031 | 14,544 | 14,385 | 11,141 | 10,706 |
| Dublin County and | |||||||||
| City Council | 70,492 | 72,997 | 76,716 | 60,159 | 24,070 | 30,997 | 34,501 | 34,268 | 33,668 |
| Limerick City | |||||||||
| Council | 2,259 | 2,022 | 1,940 | 2,387 | 1,278 | 1,083 | 1,425 | 584 | 521 |
| Waterford City | |||||||||
| Council | 4,128 | 4,001 | 3,654 | 3,658 | 929 | 1,246 | 1,417 | 1,459 | 1,175 |
| Total | 219,284 | 233,727 | 246,446 | 194,817 | 73,125 | 103,076 | 105,761 | 95,093 | 92,887 |
| Source: CSO | |||||||||
Interactive tables: StatBank link
In 2013, 36.2% (33,668) of all new vehicles licensed for the first time were in Dublin County and City Councils, followed by Cork County and City Councils with 11.5% (10,706). The least amount of all new vehicles licensed for the first time was by Leitrim County Council with 445 new vehicles.
| 19.3 Key indicators for transport of goods by road | |||||||||
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | |
| Tonnes carried (thousand) | 291,883 | 299,030 | 299,307 | 245,788 | 148,328 | 125,865 | 110,260 | 108,078 | 108,831 |
| Tonnes-kilometres (million) | 17,819 | 17,322 | 18,707 | 17,289 | 12,071 | 10,924 | 9,941 | 9,895 | 9,138 |
| Vehicle kilometres (million) | 2,312 | 2,242 | 2,332 | 2,207 | 1,585 | 1,457 | 1,338 | 1,316 | 1,261 |
| Average number of vehicles | 79,916 | 87,135 | 97,752 | 97,640 | 87,616 | 84,025 | 81,178 | 79,971 | 76,967 |
| Laden journeys (thousand) | 22,425 | 23,248 | 23,646 | 20,085 | 12,659 | 11,177 | 10,168 | 10,057 | 9,925 |
| Source: CSO | |||||||||
Interactive table: StatBank link
Irish registered goods vehicles carried 108.8 million tonnes of goods on 9.9 million laden journeys in 2013 and the amount of freight activity, as measured by tonnes-kilometers, was 9.1 million.
The average number of registered goods vehicles in the State was 76,967 and these vehicles travelled a total of 1.3 billion kilometers.
| 19.4 Statistics of port traffic - number of vessel arrivals, tonnage of goods handled by type of cargo and area of trade | |||||||||
| Category of traffic | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| Number of vessels by type | |||||||||
| Liquid bulk | 1,978 | 1,949 | 1,713 | 1,589 | 1,344 | 1,349 | 1,138 | 1,060 | 1,027 |
| Dry bulk | 1,333 | 1,265 | 1,212 | 1,465 | 1,068 | 1,143 | 1,088 | 1,144 | 773 |
| Container | 2,618 | 2,658 | 2,795 | 2,243 | 1,986 | 1,678 | 1,418 | 1,403 | 1,262 |
| Specialised | 381 | 306 | 308 | 243 | 121 | 85 | 105 | 113 | 99 |
| General | 9,919 | 9,722 | 9,934 | 8,992 | 8,512 | 8,813 | 8,012 | 7,897 | 8,554 |
| Passenger | 202 | 142 | 123 | 197 | 192 | 243 | 298 | 193 | 225 |
| Total number of vessels | 16,431 | 16,042 | 16,085 | 14,729 | 13,223 | 13,311 | 12,059 | 11,810 | 11,940 |
| Tonnage of goods by type of cargo ('000) | |||||||||
| Roll-on/roll-off traffic | 11,816 | 11,915 | 12,547 | 12,080 | 10,928 | 12,256 | 12,066 | 11,605 | 12,145 |
| Lift-on/lift-off traffic | 7,803 | 8,472 | 8,876 | 7,945 | 6,659 | 6,457 | 6,311 | 6,716 | 6,204 |
| Liquid bulk | 14,759 | 14,301 | 14,348 | 13,315 | 12,100 | 12,019 | 11,804 | 13,417 | 11,541 |
| Dry bulk | 15,589 | 16,215 | 15,822 | 15,905 | 11,185 | 13,435 | 13,932 | 15,042 | 15,948 |
| Break bulk and all other goods | 2,179 | 2,415 | 2,548 | 1,836 | 964 | 904 | 965 | 870 | 883 |
| Total tonnage of goods handled | 52,146 | 53,318 | 54,139 | 51,081 | 41,836 | 45,071 | 45,078 | 47,649 | 46,722 |
| Tonnage of goods by area of trade ('000) | |||||||||
| Great Britain & Northern Ireland | 20,499 | 19,882 | 20,351 | 19,949 | 16,957 | 18,002 | 19,279 | 16,954 | 17,028 |
| Other EU | 15,927 | 17,343 | 18,118 | 17,334 | 14,267 | 14,948 | 14,111 | 15,903 | 15,944 |
| Non-EU | 4,669 | 5,188 | 4,482 | 2,967 | 2,749 | 3,355 | 2,049 | 1,579 | 2,769 |
| Other ports | 9,182 | 8,956 | 9,264 | 8,908 | 5,913 | 7,028 | 7,555 | 8,995 | 8,167 |
| Coastal trade | 1,870 | 1,950 | 1,925 | 1,923 | 1,950 | 1,738 | 2,085 | 4,218 | 2,814 |
| Total tonnage of goods handled | 52,146 | 53,318 | 54,139 | 51,081 | 41,836 | 45,071 | 45,078 | 47,649 | 46,722 |
| Source: CSO | |||||||||
Interactive table: StatBank link
In 2013, 11,940 vessels arrived at Irish ports and this showed a slight increase on 2012. General cargo vessels accounted for 72% of total arrivals.
Irish ports handled 46.7 million tonnes of goods in 2013 and this was 1.9% less than in 2012. Great Britain and Northern Ireland remain the main areas of trade for Irish sea ports accounting for 36.4% of all goods handled in 2013.
| 19.5 Key indicators for the five main airports | |||||||||
| '000 | |||||||||
| Category of traffic | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| Dublin | |||||||||
| Passengers | 18,504.8 | 21,265.9 | 23,375.7 | 23,507.2 | 20,507.4 | 18,426.8 | 18,749.1 | 19,090.8 | 20,148.6 |
| Freight (tonnes) | 64.1 | 107.2 | 111.0 | 107.3 | 97.3 | 105.3 | 101.9 | 111.1 | 113.5 |
| Commercial flights | 169.6 | 183.4 | 202.9 | 202.5 | 169.9 | 156.2 | 159.0 | 158.5 | 162.0 |
| Cork | |||||||||
| Passengers | 2,747.2 | 3,023.5 | 3,193.7 | 3,259.1 | 2,767.8 | 2,422.9 | 2,356.6 | 2,333.6 | 2,252.6 |
| Freight (tonnes) | 7.0 | 7.2 | 5.5 | 4.0 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| Commercial flights | 33.2 | 33.3 | 35.4 | 33.3 | 25.6 | 23.4 | 22.0 | 21.5 | 20.2 |
| Shannon | |||||||||
| Passengers | 3,268.3 | 3,690.9 | 3,524.5 | 2,956.3 | 2,579.7 | 1,531.3 | 1,364.8 | 1,286.1 | 1,308.2 |
| Freight (tonnes) | 29.3 | 31.1 | 27.0 | 23.2 | 18.9 | 20.0 | 16.6 | 16.1 | 13.9 |
| Commercial flights | 25.1 | 27.1 | 26.7 | 25.0 | 21.2 | 13.4 | 13.6 | 12.7 | 12.6 |
| Knock | |||||||||
| Passengers | 524.6 | 608.3 | 544.0 | 630.8 | 606.5 | 586.4 | 653.6 | 677.4 | 665.6 |
| Freight (tonnes) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Commercial flights | 5.1 | 5.5 | 4.8 | 5.8 | 6.0 | 5.7 | 6.1 | 6.4 | 6.2 |
| Kerry | |||||||||
| Passengers | 385.8 | 392.6 | 391.1 | 426.1 | 356.7 | 383.9 | 310.9 | 286.4 | 306.0 |
| Freight (tonnes) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Commercial flights | 6.9 | 6.0 | 5.8 | 6.7 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.5 |
| Source: CSO | |||||||||
Interactive table: StatBank link
In 2013, almost 25 million passengers passed through Ireland's five main airports, an increase of 4.3% in these airports over the previous year.
Just over 204,000 commercial flights were handled by Ireland's five main airports in 2013. Dublin accounted for 79.2% of all flights (161,976) while Cork handled almost 10% of all flights (20,173).
Ireland's five main airports handled a total of 128.1 thousand tonnes of freight in 2013.
Dublin airport accounted for 72.8% of all passengers passing through Ireland's main airports in 2005. This had increased to 81.6% by 2013.
Go to next chapter >>> Agriculture Holdings
| Passengers | |
| Dublin | 72.7655943406984 |
| Cork | 10.8026912353966 |
| Shannon | 12.8517893726873 |
| Knock | 2.06286103017219 |
| Kerry | 1.51706402104543 |
| Passengers | |
| Dublin | 81.6360763340221 |
| Cork | 9.12685871723188 |
| Shannon | 5.30043353186662 |
| Knock | 2.69681131234553 |
| Kerry | 1.23982010453385 |
Learn about our data and confidentiality safeguards, and the steps we take to produce statistics that can be trusted by all.