asked the Taoiseach if he will state in respect of the items comprising the consumer price index (a) the national average price per unit in mid-February, 1957; (b) the national average price per unit in mid-August, 1957; (c) the average change per unit in terms of money, and (d) the percentage change.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Consumer Price Index.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate in the Official Report a statement showing the national average retail prices of certain items of food in mid-February and mid-August this year and the differences between them. In the case of the other items in the consumer price index no attempt is made to obtain quotations for an identical quality of the different articles in all areas and, therefore, any average prices computed would not be meaningful. The correctness of the relative price changes is ensured by the fact that at each source the identical article is priced at successive inquiries. As regards the percentage change in each item in the index between mid-February and mid-August, 1957, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Deputy Desmond on Wednesday of last week in which this information was given.
Following is the statement:—
NATIONAL Average Retail Prices of Food at mid-February, 1957, and mid-August, 1957 and the difference between them.
|
Article |
Per |
Average price to nearest ¼d. |
Increase (+) or decrease (–) between Mid-Feb. 1957, and Mid-Aug., 1957 |
|||
|
Mid-Feb., 1957 |
Mid-Aug., 1957 |
|||||
|
s. |
d. |
s. |
d. |
d. |
||
|
Beef: |
||||||
|
Round steak |
lb. |
3 |
2 |
3 |
4¼ |
+2¼ |
|
Sirloin |
,, |
3 |
5¼ |
3 |
7¾ |
+2½ |
|
Rib |
,, |
2 |
9 |
2 |
10¼ |
+1¼ |
|
Shoulder |
,, |
2 |
5¼ |
2 |
6¼ |
+1 |
|
Neck |
,, |
2 |
3 |
2 |
4¼ |
+1¼ |
|
Corned brisket |
,, |
1 |
10 |
1 |
11½ |
+1½ |
|
Liver |
,, |
2 |
5 |
2 |
6 |
+1 |
|
Mutton: |
||||||
|
Leg |
,, |
3 |
1¾ |
3 |
3¼ |
+1½ |
|
Loin chops |
,, |
3 |
8 |
3 |
9½ |
+1½ |
|
Neck |
,, |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
+1 |
|
Shoulder |
,, |
2 |
7¼ |
2 |
8¼ |
+1 |
|
Fillet |
,, |
3 |
3½ |
3 |
5¼ |
+1¾ |
|
Bacon: |
||||||
|
Irish, streaky |
,, |
3 |
11 |
3 |
9¾ |
–1¼ |
|
Irish, shoulder |
,, |
2 |
9½ |
2 |
8¾ |
–¾ |
|
Pigs' heads |
,, |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1¼ |
+¼ |
|
Ham, uncooked |
,, |
4 |
0¼ |
4 |
0½ |
+¼ |
|
Ham, cooked |
,, |
6 |
8¾ |
7 |
3½ |
+6¾ |
|
Rashers, streaky |
,, |
4 |
0 |
3 |
11¼ |
–¾ |
|
Fresh pork, shoulder |
,, |
3 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
— |
|
Pork sausages |
,, |
2 |
9¼ |
2 |
9¼ |
— |
|
Boiling fowl |
,, |
2 |
4¾ |
2 |
5¼ |
+½ |
|
Kippered herring |
doz. |
4 |
4½ |
4 |
4½ |
— |
|
Fresh herring |
lb. |
10¾ |
10½ |
–¼ |
||
|
Fish — Whiting |
,, |
1 |
10½ |
1 |
10 |
–½ |
|
Cod steak |
,, |
2 |
11¼ |
2 |
9½ |
–1¾ |
|
Eggs |
doz. |
2 |
8½ |
4 |
6¾ |
+22¼ |
|
Butter — Irish Creamery |
lb. |
3 |
8¾ |
4 |
3¾ |
+7 |
|
,, Farmers' |
,, |
3 |
4¾ |
3 |
7 |
+2¼ |
|
Margarine |
,, |
1 |
7¾ |
1 |
7¾ |
— |
|
Cheese |
,, |
2 |
10½ |
2 |
10½ |
— |
|
Lard |
,, |
1 |
8 |
1 |
8½ |
+½ |
|
Fresh milk |
quart |
11¾ |
10¾ |
–1 |
||
|
Bread |
2-lb. loaf |
9 |
1 |
1¼ |
+4¼ |
|
|
Flour — household |
14 lbs. |
4 |
2½ |
7 |
4 |
+37½ |
|
Oatmeal |
,, |
8 |
9 |
8 |
8 |
–1 |
|
Rice |
lb. |
11¼ |
11¼ |
— |
||
|
Semolina |
,, |
1 |
0½ |
1 |
0¼ |
–¼ |
|
Potatoes |
14 lbs. |
2 |
0¼ |
3 |
5 |
+16¾ |
|
Cabbage |
head |
5½ |
5½ |
— |
||
|
Onions |
lb. |
8½ |
9½ |
+1 |
||
|
Carrots |
,, |
6 |
8 |
+2 |
||
|
Dried peas |
,, |
1 |
3¾ |
1 |
3 |
–¾ |
|
Cooking apples |
,, |
7½ |
8 |
+½ |
||
|
Oranges |
,, |
1 |
6¼ |
1 |
4¼ |
–2 |
|
Tomatoes |
,, |
2 |
0¼ |
1 |
1 |
–11¼ |
|
Sultanas |
,, |
1 |
10¾ |
1 |
10¾ |
— |
|
Tinned beans in tomato sauce |
1-lb. tin |
1 |
2¼ |
1 |
2¼ |
— |
|
Tea—best |
lb. |
8 |
3 |
7 |
5¼ |
–9¾ |
|
as used by wage-earning classes |
,, |
7 |
1¼ |
6 |
3 |
–10¼ |
|
Coffee |
,, |
6 |
4¾ |
6 |
4¼ |
–½ |
|
Cornflour |
½lb. pkt. |
11¾ |
11¾ |
— |
||
|
Custard powder |
,, |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
— |
|
Sugar |
lb. |
7 |
7½ |
+½ |
||
|
Jam — Strawberry |
,, |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0½ |
+½ |
|
Mixed Fruit |
,, |
1 |
4¼ |
1 |
4½ |
+¼ |
|
Marmalade |
,, |
1 |
8¼ |
1 |
8½ |
+¼ |
|
Jellies |
pkt. |
9¼ |
9¼ |
— |