M&S increases its Irish sales

Marks & Spencer's four Irish stores recorded significant increases in sales across the product range, the company said yesterday. But the retailer, which employs 1,500 people here, did not provide a breakdown of the Irish figures. Overall, the struggling British retailer said yesterday that profits had fallen for the third year in a row - with pre-tax profits before exceptional items down by 7 per cent to £480.9 million.