Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 14 Dec 1960

Vol. 185 No. 8

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Average Retail Prices.

1.

Mr. Cosgrave

asked the Taoiseach whether, following on the quarterly inquiry into national average retail prices on 14th November, 1960, he will now give the information requested on 26th October last as to the actual increase and the percentage variation in the national average retail price of flour and bread reflecting the recent increases of 7/9d. per sack of retail flour and of 1/2d. in the 2-lb. loaf, which were announced in the press and came into operation on the 5th and 19th September, respectively; and if he will state the national average retail price at mid-February, 1957, mid-February, 1960, and mid-November, 1960 of (a) a stone of flour and (b) a 2-lb. loaf of bread.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach (Donnchadh Ó Briain)

Between mid-August and mid-November, 1960, the national average retail price of a 2-lb. loaf of bread, as ascertained at the Consumer Price Index Inquiry, increased by 0.44d. or by 3.0 per cent. The increase in the average price of a quarter stone of flour in the same period was 1.19d. or 5.1 per cent.

The national average retail prices at mid-February, 1957, mid-February, 1960, and mid-November, 1960, were: (a) Flour (3½ lbs.) 12.63d., 23.28d. and 24.53d. and (b) bread (2-lb. loaf) 9.09d. 14.62d. and 15.35d.

Since 1960 the unit of flour priced is 3½ lbs. and the price now quoted for mid-February, 1957, represents one-fourth of the price returned for a stone of flour at that date. Prices quoted, for the purpose of calculating the Consumer Price Index number, relate to a quality of each commodity in substantial demand in the area reported.

2.

Mr. Cosgrave

asked the Taoiseach the national average retail price of the food items included in the Consumer Price Index at mid-February, 1957 and at mid-November, 1960, and the actual increase and the percentage increase in each case.

Donnchadh Ó Briain

I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate in the Official Report a statement which gives the national average retail prices of certain food items at mid-February, 1957, and mid-November, 1960, together with the change in prices of these items and the percentage change over the period in the individual items and for all food items included in the Consumer Price Index. In the case of certain food items, 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 enquiries. Price quotations in respect of some items of food are not available from all centres at each enquiry and the figures for the percentage changes in these prices, computed in such a way as to eliminate the effect of differences in coverage, may differ slightly from the percentages calculated from the actual changes.

In comparing prices at mid-February and mid-November it must be remembered that prices of certain food items fluctuate seasonally and that allowance must be made for this factor.

Following is the statement:

(a) National Average Retail Prices of certain Food items at mid-February, 1957 and mid-November, 1960, the difference between and the percentage change.

Article	Per	Average price to nearest 1/4d.	Increase (+) or decrease (–) between mid-February, 1957 and mid-November, 1960
Mid-Feb. 1957	Mid-Nov.1960
		s.	d.	s.	d.	d.	%
Beef—
Round steak	lb.	3	2	3	7½	+ 5½	+ 14.45
Sirloin	,,	3	5¼	4	1½	+ 8¼	+ 20.38
Rib	,,	2	9	3	0½	+ 3½	+ 11.12
Shoulder	,,	2	5¼	2	8¾	+ 3½	+ 11.28
Neck	,,	2	3	2	6	+ 3	+ 10.86
Corned brisket	,,	1	10	1	11¼	+ 1¼	+ 5.81
Liver	,,	2	5	2	7	+ 2	+ 6.47
Mutton—
Leg	,,	3	1¾	3	3	+ 1¼	+ 2.97
Loin chops	,,	3	8	3	10¼	+ 2¼	+ 5.54
Neck	,,	2	0	1	10¼	– 1¾	– 6.52
Shoulder	,,	2	7¼	2	6¾	– ½	– 1.19
Fillet	,,	3	3½	3	5¼	+ 1¾	+ 4.42
Bacon—
Irish, streaky	,,	3	11	4	1	+ 2	+ 4.49
Irish, shoulder	,,	2	9½	2	7¾	– 1¾	– 4.70
Pigs' heads	,,	1	1		11	– 2	– 14.90
Ham, uncooked	,,	4	0¼	4	2½	+ 2¼	+ 4.88
Ham, cooked	,,	6	8¾	6	10½	+ 1¾	+ 2.20
Rashers, streaky	,,	4	0	4	2¼	+ 2¼	+ 4.88
Fresh pork, shoulder	,,	3	5	3	7	+ 2	+ 5.49
Pork sausages	,,	2	9¼	2	10¼	+ 1	+ 2.93
Boiling fowl	,,	2	4¾	2	3¼	– 1½	– 6.12
Kippered herring	doz.	4	4½	4	3¼	– 1¼	+ 0.10
Fresh herring	lb.		10¾		11¾	+ 1	– 4.17
Fish—Whiting	,,	1	10½	1	10½	—	+ 2.46
Cod steak	,,	2	11¼	3	4¼	+ 5	+ 15.73
Eggs	doz.	2	8½	5	7¼	+ 34¾	+ 106.85
Butter—Irish Creamery	lb.	3	8¾	4	6¾	+ 10	+ 21.91
,,Farmers'	,,	3	4¾	3	10	+ 5¼	+ 13.93
Margarine	,,	3	7¾	1	7¾	—	– 0.10
Cheese	,,	2	10½	3	2¼	+ 3¾	+ 10.72
Lard	,,	1	8	1	5½	– 2½	– 12.53
Fresh milk	quart		11¾	1	0	+ ¼	+ 1.52
Bread	2 lb. loaf		9	1	3¼	+ 6¼	+ 68.86
Flour—household	3½ lbs.	1	0¾*	2	0½	+ 11¾	+ 89.09
Oatmeal	14 lbs.	8	9	8	6½	– 2½	– 3.08
Rice	lb.		11¼		11¼	—	– 1.25
Semolina	,,	1	0½	1	1	+ ½	– 0.81
Potatoes	14 lbs.	2	0¼	2	8¾	+ 8½	+ 35.29
Cabbage	head		5½		5¾	+ ¼	+ 2.24
Onions	lb.		8½		7¼	– 1¼	– 12.59
Carrots	,,		6		6½	+ ½	+ 7.18
Dried peas	,,	1	3¾	1	3½	– 1¼	– 1.78
Cooking apples	,,		7½		6¼	– 1¼	– 16.74
Oranges	,,	1	6¼	1	1¾	– 4½	– 25.52
Tomatoes	,,	2	0¼	1	7¾	– 4½	– 18.79
Sultanas	,,	1	10¾	1	7	– 3¾	– 16.45
Tinned beans in tomato sauce	1 lb. tin	1	2¼	1	1	– 1¼	– 7.74
Tea—best	lb.	8	3	7	5½	9½	– 11.63
as used by wage earning classes	,,	7	1¼	6	2¼	–11	– 12.90
Coffee	,,	6	4¾	6	1	– 3¾	– 4.86
Cornflour	½ lb. pkt.		11¾		11½	– ¼	+ 0.08
Custard powder	,,	1	0		11¾	– ¼	– 1.59
Sugar	lb.		7		7½	+ ½	+ 7.43
Jam—Strawberry	,,	2	0	2	1	+1	+ 3.87
Mixed fruit	,,	1	4¼	1	5	+ ¾	+ 6.42
Marmalade	,,	1	8¼	1	9¼	+1	+ 4.81
Jellies	pkt.		9¼		9	– ¼	– 1.52

* One fourth of the price of a stone of flour.

(b) Percentage change in prices of other food items entering into the Consumer Price Index between mid-February, 1957, and mid-November, 1960.

Commodity	Percentage increase (+) or decrease (–)	Commodity	Percentage increase (+) or decrease (–)
Tinned salmon	+14.99	Mustard	+7.52
Condensed milk	+4.38	Sauce	+2.10
Cake	+1.94	Boiled sweets	+0.13
Breakfast cereals	+2.32	Bar of chocolate	+1.27
Tinned pears	–8.41	Biscuits	+9.92
Cocoa	+12.60	Soft drinks	–0.25
Salt, table	–2.12	Other groceries	+15.58

Mr. Dillon

Has the Taoiseach directed the attention of the Tanaiste to the figures his Parliamentary Secretary is now quoting so as to release him from the fairyland of statistics in which he has been abiding heretofore?

An Ceann Comhairle

That is a different matter.