asked the Taoiseach the cost of living figure for (a) January, 1957 and (b) the latest available date; and if it is the Government's intention to stabilise the cost of living.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cost of Living.
1.
Data on consumer prices are collected at quarterly intervals in the middle of the months of February, May, August and November. The Consumer Price Index (to a base of 100 in August, 1947) was 135 at mid-February, 1957, and 188 at mid-November, 1966.
As regards the second part of the question, it is the Government's general aim to stabilise the cost of living.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary agree that if it is the Government's aim to stabilise prices, they are failing very badly? Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that at the present time shopkeepers and merchants are getting invoices every day stating that the prices of certain articles have been increased, despite the fact that there has been no notification to the public that increases have been sanctioned?
Any proposals for price increases have to be examined by the Prices Advisory Body. Before the Minister sanctions increases, he has to get a recommendation to that effect from the Body.
Have all the increases passed on to the public been examined by the Prices Advisory Body?
Not at all.
Many of the items that affect the cost of living are outside the control of the Government.
Somebody is fooling the Government and the people are being fleeced because the cost of living is increasing and the Government do not seem to know whether those increases have been sanctioned or not.