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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 Jan 1947

Vol. 104 No. 1

Written Answers. - Retail Prices.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will furnish, in tabular form, for Dublin City, for the period (i) June, 1922, (ii) August, 1939, and (iii) August, 1946, detailed information regarding the average retail prices of: (a) the several articles of food; (b) clothing, distinguishing between men's, women's and children's clothing; (c) rents; and (d) fuel, light, etc., on which the cost-of-living index figure is based.

The attached tables give the arithmetical average retail prices, based on few quotations, for the City of Dublin of items of food, clothing and fuel which enter into the compilation of the cost-of-living index number. The yearly inquiry into the percentage changes in rents paid by the wage-earning class is for the country as a whole and does not permit of separate percentages being calculated for Dublin alone.

The returns from which national average prices are derived are sufficiently numerous for the computation of figures which will indicate the trend of retail prices and rents for the country as a whole but are too few for the computation of reasonably accurate figures for individual cities and towns or even for groups of cities and towns.

AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES IN DUBLIN CITY OF THE SEVERAL ARTICLES OF FOOD.

Commodity

June, 1922

August, 1939

August, 1946

Pence

Beef

per lb.

14 ¼

11 ¾

17 ¾

Mutton

,,

15

11 ¾

21

Bacon

,,

21 ¾

18 ¾

29 ½

Fresh pork, shoulder

,,

18 ¼

13

21

Pork sausages

,,

17 ½

14 ½

25 ¾

Fish, red herring

per doz.

18

Fish, fresh herring

,,

21 ¾

24

9 *

Fish, cod steak

per lb.

15

14 ½

27

Eggs, 1st grade, hen

per doz.

21

21 ½

42 ½

Butter, Irish creamery

per lb.

25 ½

18

28

Butter, Irish farmers'

,,

21 ¾

18

Margarine, 1st grade

per lb.

11 ½

10

20

Margarine, 2nd grade

,,

7 ¾

8

Cheese

,,

15 ¾

15 ½

21

Lard

,,

13

9 ½

14

Fresh milk

per quart

6 ¾

6 ¼

8

Condensed milk, Irish, full cream

per 1 lb. tin

10 ¾

9 ¾

11 ½

Bread

per 2 lb loaf

5 ¼

5 ¼

6 ¾

Flour, household

per 14 lbs.

35 ¾

32

44

Oatmeal, loose, flake

,,

46

48 ¾

74

Oatmeal, loose, pinhead

,,

42

68

Rice, Rangoon

per lb.

3 ¼

3 ½

Rice, Java

,,

5 ½

4 ¾

Potatoes

per 14 lbs.

16 ½

12 ½

22 ¾

Tea, best quality

per lb.

40 ½

38 ¾

44

Tea, as used by wage-earning classes

,,

32 ½

31

44

Sugar

,,

6

3

5

Jam, strawberry

,,

14 ¼

10 ¾

15 ½

*Price per lb. (Controlled Price).

AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES IN DUBLIN CITY OF CLOTHING, DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN MEN'S, WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S CLOTHING.

Article

June, 1922

August, 1939

August, 1946

s.

d.

s.

d.

s.

d.

Men's:

Suits, ready-made

each

112

0

128

10

164

5

Suits, tailor-made

,,

176

6

174

2

214

10

Overcoats, ready-made

,,

113

5

96

5

170

2

Overocats, tailor-made

,,

153

5

162

10

204

10

Singlets

,,

13

0

16

2

18

3

Drawers

pair

13

4

16

8

18

5

Shirts

each

11

5

15

2

21

1

Socks

pair

2

11

4

7

4

4

Boots

,,

29

0

34

1

37

11

Women's:

Light coats

each

50

6

88

2

174

1

Heavy Coats

,,

56

3

130

11

149

0

Costumes

,,

65

11

116

7

177

0

Blouses

,,

13

9

20

1

29

6

Skirts

,,

16

1

27

9

40

2

Stockings

pair

3

3

5

6

6

5

Shoes

,,

22

3

32

0

34

3

Boys', aged about 12:

Suits

each

56

10

62

4

81

6

Overcoats

,,

47

1

59

0

79

0

Boots

pair

19

3

22

4

22

6

Girls', aged about 12:

Coats

each

34

6

59

4

79

2

Dresses

,,

29

5

39

0

55

4

Stockings

pair

2

6

5

0

5

2

Shoes

,,

14

7

20

6

21

2

Average retail prices in Dublin City of fuel, light, etc.

Commodity

June, 1922

Aug., 1939

Aug., 1946

Pence

Coal

cwt.

32

35 ¼

Turf

,,

39 ½

*

33

Gas

1,000 cu. ft.

81

48 ½

66 ½

Candles

lb.

5 ¾

5 ½

17

Paraffin oil

gallon

19

12 ¼

15

Soap, household, bar

lb.

7 ¼

5

13 ¾

Pipe tobacco

oz.

9 ¾

13

18 ¼

Cigarettes

packet of 10

6

6 ½

8 ½

*Not available.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will furnish, in tabular form, for the period (i) July, 1914, (ii) June, 1922, (iii) August, 1939 and (iv) August, 1946, detailed information regarding the national average retail prices of: (a) the several articles of food; (b) clothing, distinguishing between men's women's and children's clothing; (c) rents, and (d) fuel, light, etc., on which the cost-of-living index figure is based.

The information desired by the Deputy is given on the attached tables in which are shown the national average prices of the items which enter into the compilation of the cost-of-living index number. These are weighted prices. They represent the predominant prices of a number of commodities (a list of which was ascertained from the Family Budget Inquiry of 1922) weighted according to the aggregate populations of the groups of towns in respect of which they were obtained. The prices of the principal food items are published each quarter in the Irish Trade Journal and Statistical Bulletin.

The cost-of-living index number is designed to show the percentage change in the cost of maintaining unaltered the 1922 standard of living of the wage-earning classes, no allowance being made for any changes in the standard which may have taken place since that date.

A memorandum explaining the compilation of the official cost-of-living index number appeared as Appendix B in the Report of the Committee on the Cost-of-Living Index Figure (P. No. 992-1933) which was presented to both Houses of the Oireachtas.

NATIONAL AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF THE SEVERAL ARTICLES OF FOOD.

Commodity

July, 1914

June, 1922

August, 1939

August, 1946

Pence

Beef

per lb.

7 ¾

14 ½

10 ¼

18

Mutton

,,

8 ¼

15 ¾

11

21

Bacon

,,

9 ¼

20 ½

16 ¼

29

Fresh pork, shoulder

,,

8 ½

17 ¾

13

22 ¼

Pork sausages

,,

8 ¾

16 ¼

12 ¾

23 ¼

Fish, red herring

per doz.

18

20 ½

22 ¼

42 ¼

Fish, fresh herring

,,

18

23 ½

22 ½

9*

Fish, cod steak

per lb.

12

13 ¾

13

25 ½

Eggs, 1st grade, hen

per doz.

11

17 ½

17 ¾

38 ¾

Butter, Irish creamery

per lb.

12 ¾

22 ½

18 ½

28

Butter, Irish farmers'

,,

10 ½

18 ¾

16 ¼

28

Margarine, 1st grade

,,

7 ¾

11 ½

10

20

Margarine, 2nd grade

,,

6

8 ½

7 ½

Cheese

,,

9 ¾

16 ½

16

21 ¼

Lard

,,

7

11 ¾

8 ½

14

Fresh milk

per quart

2 ½

5

4 ¾

6 ½

Condensed milk, Irish, full cream

per lb. tin

5 ½

11 ¼

10 ¼

11 ¼

Bread

per 2 lb. loaf

3

5 ½

5

6 ¾

Flour, household

per 14 lb.

22 ½

36 ¼

28 ½

45 ½

Oatmeal, loose, flake

,,

24

42

42 ¾

74

Oatmeal, loose, pinhead

,,

38 ¼

67 ¾

Rice, Rangoon

per lb.

2 ¾

3 ¾

3 ¼

15

Rice, Java

,,

5 ¾

4 ¾

Potatoes

per 14 lb.

7 ¼

16 ½

12

22 ¼

Tea, best quality

per lb.

30 ½

42 ¾

39 ¾

44

Tea as used by wage-earning classes

,,

20

32 ¼

32 ¼

43 ¾

Sugar

,,

2 ¼

6

3 ¼

5

Jam, strawberry

,,

6 ½

15 ¼

11

15 ½

*Price per lb. (Controlled Price).

NATIONAL AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF CLOTHING, DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN MEN'S, WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S CLOTHING.

July, 1914

June, 1922

August, 1939

August, 1946

MEN'S:

s.

d.

s.

d.

s.

d.

s.

d.

Suits, ready-made

each

35

0

85

7

82

6

147

3

,,tailor-made

,,

54

5

143

0

132

4

198

9

Overcoats, ready-made

,,

33

7

75

7

73

9

142

9

,,tailor-made

,,

48

10

122

3

111

9

183

3

Singlets

,,

2

7

9

3

11

3

16

8

Drawers

pair

2

8

8

7

11

5

16

8

Shirts

each

3

1

8

9

10

1

18

0

Socks

pair

1

2

2

6

3

4

4

3

Boots

,,

11

11

25

9

28

2

37

7

WOMEN'S:

Light coats

each

25

7

54

5

70

9

120

3

Heavy

,,

31

7

66

10

98

2

175

9

Costumes

,,

42

7

83

3

94

1

163

2

Blouses

,,

4

7

16

6

16

9

26

7

Skirts

,,

5

8

16

11

20

3

39

10

Stockings

pair

1

6

3

8

4

6

5

11

Shoes

,,

10

5

23

5

24

1

32

1

BOY'S, aged about 12:

Suits

each

16

3

32

9

40

3

72

8

Overcoats

,,

14

9

31

6

39

10

73

11

Boots

pair

7

7

17

3

18

7

23

7

GIRLS', aged about 12:

Coats

each

11

8

32

4

42

1

81

5

Dresses

,,

9

6

25

4

31

8

49

9

Stockings

pair

1

2

2

6

3

7

4

5

Shoes

,,

7

10

16

7

17

5

22

3

Rents.—The index number for rents is calculated on the weighted percentage change between each inquiry: the average weekly rent (including rates) in July, 1914, was 4/- and the percentage increases between July, 1914, and June, 1922, August, 1939, and August, 1946, were 27 per cent., 29 per cent, and 32 per cent. respectively.

NATIONAL AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF FUEL, LIGHT, Etc.

Commodity

July, 1914

June, 1922

August, 1939

August, 1946

Pence

Coal

per cwt.

16 ¾

35

31 ¾

Turf

,,

11

25

*

33

Gas

per 1,000 cu. ft.

50 ½

97 ¾

74

101

Candles

per lb.

4 ½

6 ¼

5 ¼

17

Paraffin oil

per gall.

9

20

11 ¼

15

Soap, household bar

per lb.

3 ½

7

5

13 ¾

Pipe tobacco

per oz.

7

8 ½

11

16 ¼

Cigarettes

per pkt. of 10

3

6

6 ½

8 ½

*Not available.

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