118,696 cars were sold in Ireland over the last 12 months, representing an increase of 28 percent over the previous year. In 2013 the equivalent figure was 92,724. 

The motor industry saw strong figures throughout the last 12 months. The introduction of a second batch of licence plates during the summer has managed to spread demand across the year. Car sales spiked by more that 50 percent between June and July, when '142' plates were released.

These figures have been recorded by vehicle history experts Cartell.ie, and include private cars, taxis, and light and heavy commercial vehicles.

Graph via cartell.ie

At the end of November, the Central Statistic Office had recorded that 91,380 private cars had been licensed so far in 2014 – a jump of almost 30 percent on the previous year.

In November, sales were 12.1% higher than the same month in 2013. During the final quarter of the year motorist have traditionally been reluctant to buy - preferring to wait until the new year.

The movement away from this trend could be due to the new number-plate system, or it could be a more general indication that consumer confidence is improving in Ireland.

Cartell.ie comments that it expects this growth to continue in 2015.