asked the Taoiseach whether it is proposed to include health service contributions in the calculation of the new Consumer Price Index.
7.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Consumer Price Index.
6.
asked the Taoiseach whether, in view of the statement contained in the article describing the calculation of the present Consumer Index in the December 1953 issue of the Irish Trade Journal (Page 223) that items such as medical and holiday expenses, etc., had been excluded on the grounds that prices would be very difficult to obtain but that as time went by the Central Statistics Office would endeavour to price such items, he will state what progress has been made up to the present in the pricing of such items; and whether it is likely that any such items will be included in the new Consumer Price Index.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 6 and 7 together.
No attempt has so far been made to obtain specific prices which would be suitable for use as current indicators if medical and holiday expenses were included in the Consumer Price Index, since it has not been considered desirable, in advance of the next full-scale revision which must await the results of a household budget inquiry, to attempt to make the relatively small changes in the weighting pattern which the introduction of such items would involve.
It is not possible at this stage to make any decision either as to the weighting pattern to be adopted for the index number or as to the items to be priced after such a revision.
In view of the fact that the health expenses will be very heavy, would the Taoiseach not consider that they should be included in the cost of living index?
As the Deputy is aware, a household budget inquiry will be made next year as a result of which a new basis for calculating the Consumer Price Index will be devised. It is obviously undesirable to change the present basis at the moment.
I appreciate that, but I trust the Taoiseach is considering including the health service charges.
It is far too soon to make a decision on what should be taken into account in the calculation of the new index resulting from this inquiry. The relative importance of the different categories of expenditure will be considered.
Would the Taoiseach consider considering it?