Irish central bank nudges up 2015 GDP growth forecast to 3.8 percent

DUBLIN, April 1 (Reuters) - Ireland (Other OTC: IRLD - news) 's central bank on Wednesday nudged up its 2015 economic growth forecast on higher exports and consumer spending, saying gross domestic product would expand 3.8 percent rather than the 3.7 percent forecast two months ago.

Ireland's economy has rebounded strongly since it exited an EU-IMF bailout in late 2013, and gross domestic product grew by 4.8 percent last year, the fastest expansion in the European Union.

In its quarterly review of the Irish economy, the central bank said it expected personal consumer expenditure to increase by 2.2 percent in 2015, while exports of goods and services will grow 5.7 percent. It cut its forecast for unemployment at the end of 2015 to 9.8 percent from 10.4 percent.

"The momentum of recovery in the Irish economy continues to build and broaden, with domestic demand now making a significant positive contribution to growth," the bank said. (Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Toby Chopra)