Property prices around the country rose 7 point 8 per cent in the year to the end of March.

The CSO says that's a slow down in the rate of increase, which stood at 8 point 1 per cent at the end of February.

Residential property prices overall actually fell point-seven per cent in the month of March.

One of the big changes was recorded in Dublin apartment prices - which were over 16 and a half per cent higher in March than in the same month of 2013