asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the cost of living figure for (a) January, 1957, and (b) the latest available date; and what steps the Government intend to take to stabilise the cost of living.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cost of Living Figure.
71.
The Consumer Price Index number (base August, 1947= 100) was 135 at mid-February, 1957, and 200 at mid-May, 1968. The index is calculated in respect of mid-February, mid-May, mid-August and mid-November each year. The Government have continued in force, by sixmonthly Continuance Orders, the Prices Stabilisation Order, 1965, and I will continue to exercise the powers which I derive from that Order to ensure that prices are not increased unnecessarily.
Would the Minister not agree that they have been a failure with regard to reducing the cost of living? Will the Minister bring his mind back to 1957 when Mr. de Valera, then Taoiseach, at Belmullet, and Deputy Lemass at Dungarvan on the same night, said that if they were elected, they would not increase the price of bread because it was such an important item in the diet of the poor? They did not promise to stabilise the cost of living but they both promised to reduce the cost of living. Further, is it the Government's intention to make promises and then when they get into power, forget about them and increase the cost of living by almost 50 per cent?
Any reasonable or rational approach to this requires of course that you do not have regard only to the cost of living but also to the standard and level of wages. On that basis the level of wages has increased considerably more than the cost of living and therefore the standard of living has increased and has not been reduced.
Does the Minister think that both the ex-Taoiseach and the President——
The Deputy has already referred to this. This is only repetition.
——were reasonable and rational men——
This has nothing to do with the question.
——when they made those promises? Is he further aware that the ever-increasing cost of living is hitting at those on fixed incomes and who cannot catch up with the cost of living?
The Deputy should bear that in mind in relation to all increases of salaries, wages or otherwise.
Would the Minister agree that he has a better opinion of what the trade unions are doing for their members than has the Minister for Labour?