Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Food Prices. – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Thursday, 13 Jul 1972

Mr. L. Burke

asked the Taoiseach the percentage increase in the prices of essential foodstuffs as between June, 1971, and June, 1972.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement giving the percentage change between mid-May, 1971, and mid-May, 1972, in all the food items entering into the calculation of the consumer price index numbers. The index numbers are calculated only in respect of mid-February, mid-May, mid-August and mid-November each year.

Following is the statement:

PERCENTAGE change in prices of items entering into the Consumer Price Index between mid-May, 1971 and mid-May, 1972.

Commodity	Percentage increase (+) or decrease (-)
FOOD:
Beef:
Round steak	+ 12.35
Sirloin steak	+ 13.46
Sirloin roast	+ 13.13
Rib steak (or chuck)	+ 12.17
Leg of beef (boneless)	+ 13.54
Brisket corned beef	+ 12.46
Mutton (excl. Spring Lamb):
Leg (whole)	+ 17.43
Loin chops	+ 15.83
Cutlets (rib chops)	+ 14.39
Gigot chops	+ 16.24
Neck	+ 15.42
Liver	+ 8.87
Pork:
Leg (whole)	+ 9.80
Loin chops	+ 9.94
Shoulder (whole)	+ 10.29
Steak	+ 15.50
Bacon:
Best back rashers	+ 11.87
Streaky rashers	+ 10.17
Ham, uncooked (whole)	+ 12.36
Shoulder (whole)	+ 10.21
Poultry and other meat:
Broiler, uncooked, oven ready (medium size)	+ 3.77
Chicken cooked (medium size)	+ 3.15
Ham, cooked	+ 12.35
Sausages, pork	+ 14.18
Black pudding	+ 14.27
Fresh fish:
Whiting, fillets	+ 11.72
Cod, cutlets	+ 8.00
Plaice, fillets	+ 9.59
Herrings (whole)	+ 19.81
Fish Fingers	+ 21.02
Dried and cured fish:
Fillets, smoked	+ 15.04
Kippers, smoked	+ 11.98
Tinned Fish:
Salmon	+ 3.80
Sardines	+ 7.24
Fresh vegetables:
Potatoes	+ 20.71
Tomatoes	+ 19.64
Onions	+ 7.10
Carrots	- 7.50
Turnips (medium size)	+ 25.37
Cabbage (medium size)	+ 17.53
Cauliflower (medium size)	+ 4.75
Dried peas	+ 10.81
Tinned Vegetables:
Peas	+ 6.18
Beans	+ 7.98
Frozen vegetables:
Peas	+ 6.47
Beans	+ 4.33
Bread:
White, sliced	+ 12.65
White unsliced	+ 12.81
Brown	+ 14.18
Flour:
White, plain	+ 9.50
White, self-raising	+ 8.82
Brown, wholemeal	+ 10.61
Biscuits:
Cream crackers	+ 9.18
Plain	+ 10.80
Sweet	+ 8.58
Cake:
Fruit	+ 5.74
Sponge sandwich	+ 6.87
Swiss roll	+ 7.32
Milk:
Fresh milk, pasteurised	+ 11.80
Condensed milk	+ 12.74
Fresh cream	+ 10.36
Cheese:
Processed	+ 9.56
Natural, cheddar or cheshire	+ 8.53
Eggs:
Large size	+ 15.96
Standard size	+ 15.20
Butter and other fats:
Butter, creamery	+ 11.49
Margarine	+ 4.65
Cooking fat	+ 5.76
Fresh fruit:
Apples, cooking	+ 28.65
Apples, eating	+ 15.17
Oranges	+ 17.21
Bananas	+ 3.90
Tinned fruit:
Pears	+ 4.65
Peaches	+ 5.28
Dried Fruit:
Raisins, seedless	+ 13.10
Sultanas	+ 8.41
Prunes	+ 11.37
Beverages:
Tea, best quality	+ 2.25
Tea, medium quality	+ 1.78
Coffee beans, ground or roasted	+ 4.37
Coffee extracts, powder	+ 2.54
Cocoa	+ 8.99
Sugar:
White granulated	+ 3.47
Castor	+ 6.56
Cereal products:
Cornflakes	+ 4.03
Wheatflakes	+ 1.86
Oatmeal, packet	+ 9.49
Cornflour	+ 4.07
Rice	+ 3.59
Semolina	+ 6.54
Jelly and custard:
Jelly	+ 8.25
Custard powder	+ 2.61
Soup:
Tinned	+ 3.79
Dried	+ 3.87
Jams and syrup:
Jam	+ 10.41
Marmalade	+ 10.98
Golden Syrup	+ 7.54
Sweets and ice cream:
Sweets	+ 9.21
Chocolate bars	+ 11.95
Ice cream, block	+ 12.17
Soft drinks:
Minerals, orange	+ 10.97
Minerals, lemon	+ 10.02
Orange squash (concentrated)	+ 4.46
Miscellaneous items:
Sauce	+ 9.05
Bovril	+ 5.89
Salt	+ 3.15
Pepper	+ 10.86
Mustard	+ 8.35
Potato crisps	+ 1.60
Meals away from home	+ 8.93

Mr. Coogan

Can the Parliamentary Secretary state whether it indicates an increase on 1971?

Mr. Corish

Of course it does.

Mr. Andrews

That is a rather simplistic question.

Mr. Corish

Would the Parliamentary Secretary not admit that between May, 1971, and May, 1972, while the consumer price index rose by 8 per cent, the increase in the price of food was 11 per cent?

Mr. Andrews

The average increase was in the region of 8 per cent. I cannot give the answer to the second part of the Deputy's question.

Mr. Cluskey

Then the Parliamentary Secretary is not in a position to deny it.

Mr. Andrews

Or confirm it.

Mr. Corish

The Parliamentary Secretary should be in a position to give it.

Mr. Andrews

I know I should but I am not.

Mr. Corish

Why not? Could the Parliamentary Secretary tell me what was the increase in the consumer price index from May, 1971, to May, 1972?

Mr. Andrews

On what item?

Mr. Corish

The consumer price index.

Mr. Andrews

I would have to add it all up. I have about 100 food items.

Mr. Corish

I am not talking about individual items. I am talking about the overall figure.

Mr. Andrews

I have not the information in front of me. The Deputy should put down a specific question.

Mr. Corish

It will be in the Official Report in accordance with what the Parliamentary Secretary said.

Mr. Andrews

The question was not put down by the Deputy. If he reads the question——

Mr. Corish

I have read it twice.

Mr. Andrews

With great respect, I would advise a third reading.

Mr. Corish

I have great respect for the ability of the Parliamentary Secretary because I know him well as a politician and personally. Surely he can tell me what the increase in the consumer price index was between May, 1971, and May, 1972.

Mr. Andrews

I have told the Deputy that that is not the question I was asked and consequently I have not got the information relating to that. The question is to ask the Taoiseach the percentage increase in the prices of essential foodstuffs as between June, 1971, and June, 1972. I have itemised and will circularise in the Official Report each individual item and the increase relating to it.

Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 13 Jul 1972