Irish services expand again in April, but pace of growth slows - PMI

DUBLIN, May 6 (Reuters) - Ireland (Other OTC: IRLD - news) 's services expanded again in April, a survey showed on Wednesday, but weakness in new export orders and employment helped nudge the rate of growth to a 14-month low.

Ireland's economy is forecast to be the fastest growing in the European Union for a second straight year in 2015. A strong first quarter saw unemployment fall to 10 percent from a high of over 15 percent in early 2012.

The Investec Purchasing Managers' Index of activity in services, which covers businesses from banks to hotels, slipped to 60.6 from 60.9 in March. It had reached an eight-year high of 62.6 in December last year.

The survey found the pace of growth in employment fell to an 11-month low. The pace of growth of new export orders was its lowest in 24 months at 56.5.

"It seems that the overall narrative is one of continued growth, albeit at a slightly slower pace, at the start of Q2," Investec Ireland chief economist Philip O'Sullivan said.

The index has stayed above 60 for a year and has not fallen below the 50-point line that separates growth from contraction since July 2012.

- Detailed PMI data are only available under licence from Markit (NasdaqGS: MRKT - news) and customers need to apply to Markit for a licence. To subscribe to the full data, click on the link below: http://www.markit.com/Contact-Us For further information, please phone Markit on +44 20 7260 2454 or email economics@markit.com (Reporting by Conor Humphries) Words: 290