H&M to make its Irish debut at Dundrum mall

Swedish fashion chain H&M has seen the allure of the Emerald Isle and will open in Ireland for the first time next March.

The move comes on the back of a 14 per cent increase in group sales for July.

The 21,000 sq ft (1,950 sq m) store will open at the new Dundrum shopping centre, outside Dublin.

H&M investor relations director Carl-Henric Enhorning said another four to five stores would open next year, and there was potential for at least 25 shops. Deals for stores in Central Belfast and a provincial Northern Ireland centre are thought to be imminent.

Analysts at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein believed like-for-like sales increased 2 per cent in July, down from a 3 per cent increase in June.