The rest of the world can't get enough of Irish drinks.

A new report has revealed that the sector contributes a whopping €4.1 billion to the island's economy every year.

The figures were published on Tuesday by Drinks Ireland, which commissioned economic consultancy Indecon International to carry out the research.

According to the report, there are around 200 drinks producers across the island, with most of them based outside Dublin.

That includes approximately 50 whiskey producers, 100 beer and cider producers, 45 gin producers and nine dedicated Irish cream liqueur plants.

Irish whiskey is proving particularly popular abroad

And it seems the rest of the world can't get enough of Irish drinks.

According to Drinks Ireland, a staggering 95% of Irish whiskey production is exported, with a similarly high proportion of Irish cream liqueur heading overseas.

In fact, drinks exports from across the island were worth €2.7 billion last year.

That's a 91% increase in value compared with 2015, while the volume of drinks exported has risen by 52% over the same period.

Beer is also doing particularly well, with Irish brands now reaching customers in more than 120 countries.

Over the past decade, beer exports have increased by 16% in value and 32% in volume.

Thousands of jobs depend on the industry

But it's not just about the money coming in from abroad.

The industry also provides thousands of jobs across Ireland, particularly in rural areas where many distilleries and breweries are based.

According to the report, 4,726 people are directly employed in drinks production across the island.

Another 8,076 jobs are linked to supply and distribution, while almost 1,300 people work in visitor attractions and tasting experiences.

And the impact goes even further.

Researchers estimate that between 26,000 and 37,000 additional jobs depend indirectly on the industry, particularly in pubs, restaurants and shops.

The findings, reported by RTÉ, highlight just how important the drinks industry remains to Ireland's economy, both at home and abroad.