asked the Taoiseach the cost of living index at the latest available date; and the reason for the increase since August, 1968.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Cost of Living Index.
10.
The consumer price index (base August, 1947=100) was 203 at mid-November, 1968, compared with 200 at mid-August, 1968. With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement giving the points change attributable to each commodity group and to the principal constituent items.
Following is the statement:—
POINTS change in the Consumer Price Index (base August, 1947=100) between mid-August and mid-November, 1968, attributable to each commodity group and to the principal constituent items.
|
Commodity group and item |
Points change |
|
Food |
–0.35 |
|
Eggs (corrected for seasonality) |
–0.49 |
|
Cooking apples |
–0.22 |
|
Milk (corrected for seasonality) |
–0.16 |
|
Onions |
–0.13 |
|
Potatoes (corrected for seasonality) |
+0.23 |
|
Tomatoes |
+0.14 |
|
Clothing |
+0.10 |
|
Fuel and Light |
+0.33 |
|
Coal |
+0.17 |
|
Electricity |
+0.15 |
|
Housing |
+0.91 |
|
Rent (including rates of rented dwellings) |
+0.90 |
|
Sundries |
+1.93 |
|
Cigarettes |
+0.89 |
|
Stout |
+0.50 |
|
Whiskey |
+0.15 |
|
Tobacco |
+0.11 |
What happened to the promise made by Deputy Lemass as Taoiseach to reduce the cost of living to the 1953 level? He certainly promised to reduce taxation.
Would the Deputy allow his own question to be answered?
It was the Deputy's own Minister in the inter-Party Government who promised that — including reducing farmers' prices as well.
The Taoiseach should know that is not true. He is too lazy to look perhaps.