asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the number of price increases since the budget; the items concerned; and the amount of the increase in each case.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price Increases.
10.
The number of price increases in the period from the date of the budget, 26th January, 1977 to 11th March, 1977, recommended by the National Prices Commission and accepted by me was 77.
As the remainder of the information sought by the Deputy is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have copies circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
|
Name of Firm |
Products/Service Involved |
Amount of Increase |
|
Philip Pierce & Co. Ltd., Wexford |
Farm machinery and motorised concrete mixers |
Amounts ranging between 4% and 32.6% |
|
Killeen Paper Mills Ltd., Dublin |
Corrugated paper products |
9.5% average |
|
National Board & Paper Mills Ltd., Granagh, County Waterford |
Corrugated paper products |
9.5% average |
|
Private Motorists Protection Association (PMPA) Dublin |
Annual membership fee |
£1 per annum |
|
City of Waterford Gas Co. Waterford |
Town Gas |
4.2p per therm |
|
Cork Gas Co., Cork |
Gas |
2.3911p per therm |
|
Cork Dental Hospital, Cork |
Charges for dental treatment |
Average increase of 45%—50% |
|
Bryan S. Ryan Ltd., Dublin |
Office equipment |
An increase in cash margins resulting in a price increase of 3.64% average |
|
Crest Foods Ltd., Castleknock, County Dublin |
“Chocoflake” |
£40 per tonne |
|
Electrolux Ltd., Dublin |
Service charges |
30% |
|
The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland |
Fees and subscriptions |
Amounts ranging between £1 and £36 |
|
The O'Connell Bridge School of Motoring, Dublin |
Driving tuition (passenger and commercial vehicles) |
27.35% average |
|
Addressograph Multigraph Ltd., Dublin |
Technical service charges |
10% average |
|
Cross's Refrigeration Ltd., Cork. |
Service charges for repairing commercial and industrial refrigeration and air conditioning equipment |
16% average |
|
Buncrana Traders Ltd., Donegal. |
Polish coal |
£7.28 per ton (retail) |
|
Sligo Coal Importers, Sligo. |
Polish coal |
£7.39 per ton (retail) |
|
Irish Containers Ltd., Dublin. |
Stainless steel sinks. |
7.5% |
|
Lever Brothers (I) Ltd., Dublin |
(i) Household and industrial detergents and toilet preparations |
(i) 8.4% average |
|
(ii) Household detergents and toiletries |
(ii) An increase in cash margins resulting in a price increase of 1.5% |
|
|
Irish Raleigh Industries Ltd., Dublin. |
Bicycles |
10% average |
|
Samuel Morris (Bridge St.) Ltd., Waterford. |
Pre-packaged coal (28 lbs. bags) |
15p (wholesale) |
|
Sutton's Ltd., Cork. |
Pre-packaged coal:28 lb. packs56 lb. packs |
£4.30 per ton (wholesale)£3.59 per ton (wholesale) |
|
Scotts Foods Ltd., Dublin |
“Scotchoc” |
3.5% average |
|
Electricity Supply Board |
Electricity charges |
10.49% |
|
CIE |
(i) bus fares |
(i) 25% |
|
(ii) suburban rail fares |
(ii) 26% average |
|
|
(iii) freight charges |
(iii) 15% |
|
|
Irish Bakery and Confectionery Trades Association. |
Bread 400 gm loaf |
Wrapped/Unwrapped1p1p |
|
800 gm loaf |
2p2p |
|
|
1250 gm loaf |
2p2½p |
|
|
1600 gm loaf |
2½p3p |
|
|
Incorporated Law Society |
Solicitors fees |
50% on Civil Litigation fees excluding criminal legal aid |
|
(until the Rules of Court are amended with the concurrence of the Minister for Justice this increase cannot be implemented) |
||
|
Motor Insurance Companies: |
Motor vehicles insurance |
25% with the exception |
|
(i) Norwich Union Insurance |
premiums |
of Phoenix Assurance Co. |
|
(ii) Hibernian Insurance Co. Ltd. |
where an increase of 50% was approved |
|
|
(iii) Phoenix Assurance Co. Ltd. |
||
|
(iv) Insurance Corporation of Ireland |
||
|
(v) General Accident Assurance |
||
|
(vi) PMPA |
||
|
(vii) Shield Insurance Co. Ltd. |
||
|
(viii) Royal Insurance Co. Ltd. |
||
|
(ix) Eclipse Motor Policies (Lloyd's) |
||
|
(x) Zurich Insurance Co. |
||
|
(xi) Guardian Royal Exchange |
||
|
Aer Rianta |
Charges for ground car parking at Dublin Airport |
10p for the first hour or part thereof, 5p for each additional hour or part thereof. |
|
(a) Tobacco and Cigarette Manufacturers: |
(i) (ii) and (iii) Cigarettes: |
1p per 20 (inclusive of VAT) at retail level except |
|
(i) P.J. Carroll & Co. Ltd., |
Richmond cigarettes; |
|
|
(ii) Player & Wills (Ireland) Ltd., |
Tobacco and Snuff: |
2p per 20 at retail level. |
|
(iii) Gallaher (Dublin) Ltd. |
||
|
(iv) John Clune Ltd. |
Tobacco and Snuff: |
3p (inclusive of VAT) per ounce at retail level. |
|
(iv) Pipe tobacco |
5p per oz. retail |
|
|
Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society Ltd. |
Premium rates for motor cycle insurance |
41% |
|
1. BP Ireland Ltd., Dublin |
Lubricants |
Amounts ranging between 1.7p and 3.5p per litre |
|
2. Texaco (Ireland) Ltd., Dublin |
Propane |
£3.85 per tonne |
|
Butane |
£3.55 per tonne |
|
|
Irish Roofing Felts Ltd., Dublin |
Roofing Products |
Amounts ranging between 0.81% and 1.63% |
|
W & C McDonnell Ltd., Dublin |
“Royco” Products and “Vesta” meals |
5% average |
|
Phoenix Relays Ltd., Dublin |
Cable television rental charges |
10% |
|
The Irish School of Motoring, Dublin |
Driving tuition fees |
33p (11%) |
|
Munster Chipboard Co. Ltd., Waterford |
“Truplast” and “Truveneer” products |
10% and 12.5% |
|
Wiggins Teape (Ireland) Ltd., Dublin |
Envelopes, Stationery and books |
7.5% average |
|
Coal Distributors Ltd., Dublin |
Anthracite Peas |
£16.96 per ton (retail) |
|
Robert McCowen & Sons Ltd., Tralee, County Kerry |
Polish coal |
£8.23 per ton |
|
Tegral Building Products Ltd., Dublin |
Asbestos cement products |
8.12% average |
|
H.B. Chocolates Ltd., Tallaght, County Dublin |
Sugar and chocolate confectionery |
18% average |
|
1. Esso Teoranta, Stillorgan, County Dublin |
1. Solvent kerosenes for use in the manufacture of printing inks |
1. 0.77p per litre |
|
2. Mobil Oil Co. Ltd. |
2. Lubricants |
2. Amounts ranging between 0.2p and 48.5p per litre |
|
I.T.T. World Directories (I) Ltd., Dublin |
Charges for advertising in the “Golden Pages” |
17.8% average |
|
(1) Irish Bacon Curers' Society |
Sausages |
4p per lb. wholesale |
|
(2) Dublin Master Victuallers' Association |
||
|
Southern Chemicals Ltd., Askeaton, Co. Limerick |
Hydrated lime |
12.2% |
|
Morgan McMahon & Co. Ltd., Limerick |
Timber, general building materials and hardware |
4.7% |
|
Gypsum Industries Ltd., Kingscourt, Co. Cavan |
All products |
Amounts ranging between 6.8% and 19.4% |
|
William McKinney & Sons Ltd., Letterkenny, Co. Donegal |
Sugar and chocolate confectionery—chocolate and fruit assortments sold loose or in pre-packs under the “Oatfield” brand |
12% average |
|
Irish Poultry Processors' Association |
Chickens sold to the retail trade |
1.75p per lb. |
|
The Merchants Warehousing Co. Ltd. |
Storage of grain, refrigerated/Air-conditioned and general goods |
13.7% average on the basis of a price contract ending 31 December 1977 |
|
Rapid Metal Developments Ltd., Dublin. |
Hire and sale of equipment e.g. scaffolding for building and civil engineering industries. |
19.48% average |
|
Semperit (Ireland) Ltd., Dublin |
Textile & Steel braced radial tyres (original equipment) |
22.7% average |
|
Duckhams Oils (I) Ltd., Dublin |
Lubricants |
15p per gallon (average) |
|
Radio Telefis Eireann Donnybrook, Dublin 4 |
(1) Black & White(2) Colour Licence Fees |
(1) £2.50 p.a.(2) £4.00 p.a. |
|
Robert Wilson Sons Ltd., Dublin |
(1) Meat and bonemeal(2) Tallow No. 6 |
£5 per tonne£15 per tonne |
|
Gerflex (I) Ltd., Carrickmacross |
6 lines of vinyl floor-covering |
Amounts ranging between 7% and 15% |
|
Irish Agricultural Organisation Society |
Cream |
Amounts ranging between 27.365p for 40% butter-fat content to 33.570p for 50% butterfat content |
|
Skim milk powder |
£51.60 per tonne |
|
|
Whole milk powder:—26.5% fat content |
£74.31 per tonne |
|
|
27.5% fat content |
£75.785 per tonne |
|
|
28.5% fat content |
£77.25 per tonne |
|
|
Flemings' Fireclays Ltd., Athy, County Kildare |
Fireclay products |
2.65% (average) |
|
Smith & Nephew—Southalls (Ireland) Ltd., Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. |
“Golden Babe Nappies” Sanitary protection products |
8.6% (average) 6.2% (average) |
|
Limerick Coal Importers (Suttons Ltd., and Tedcastle McCormick & Co. Ltd.) |
All fuels viz., Polish coal, Anthracite Peas, Anthracite Nuts, Phurnex, Slack |
£3.07p per tonne |
|
Sligo Coal Importers (i.e. Suttons Ltd., and Tedcastle McCormick & Co. Ltd.) |
All fuels viz., Polish coal, Anthracite Nuts, Phurnex, Slack |
£3.10 per tonne all fuels |
|
Cork City Coal Importers (Suttons Ltd., Tedcastle McCormick & Co. Ltd., and Sheehan & Sullivan Ltd.), Cork |
All fuels viz., Polish coal, Anthracite Peas, Phurnex, Slack, (except pre-packaged coal) |
£2.94 per tonne on all fuels except Anthracite Nuts which increased by £8.65 per ton |
|
Reckitts (Ireland) Ltd., |
Locally manufactured range of household, pharmaceutical and industrial products. |
12.75% (average) |
|
Johnson Brothers Ltd. (on behalf of Irel Co. Ltd.) Kimmage, Dublin, 12. |
Irel Coffee |
10% average |
|
Department of Social Welfare |
Fees to doctors and specialists in respect of medical certificates and reports for the purpose of the Department of Social Welfare, occupational injuries and disability benefits. |
Increases ranging from 20p to £3.75 |
|
Leo Laboratories Ltd., Dublin |
3 Veterinary Products |
Amounts ranging between 25% and 60.3% |
|
Cadbury (Irl.) Ltd., Dublin |
Sugar and Chocolate Confectionery |
7.66% average |
|
Connick, Cooper and O'Rourke Ltd., Dundalk |
English coal |
£3.07 per tonne retail |
|
Denis Williams Ltd., Dundalk |
English Coal |
£4.71 per tonne |
|
Bush (Ireland) Ltd., Whitehall, Dublin |
Monochrome & Colour TV's |
9.8% average |
|
Reckitts (I) Ltd., Dublin |
Zip Firelighters |
5.3% (average) |
|
Phillips Data Systems Clonskeagh, Dublin, 14 |
Annual maintenance Agreement charges |
14.6% average |
|
Eden Vale (Ireland) Ltd., Walkinstown, Dublin, 12. |
Yogurt |
6.87% average |
|
The Irish Dunlop Co. Ltd. |
Replacement tyres |
10% |
|
Donegal Design Ltd. |
Clothing |
Amounts ranging between 6.6% and 13.2% |
Can the Parliamentary Secretary indicate the dates on which he became aware of the impending increases?
That information was not sought in the question but, if the Deputy wishes, I am sure it can be provided by way of letting him have the dates of the decisions in respect of each case.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary accept that it is more than likely that the Minister was aware before the budget of most of these increases?
I would not accept that.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary saying that so far as the Department are concerned there was no indication prior to the budget of these impending increases?
It can be said that one can anticipate increases being sought in respect of a number of products even before application has been made by the producer. In that sense the Department in their normal surveillance of the general situation in relation to prices might be said to be aware of the product in respect of which increases are likely to be sought. However I do not think it would be accurate to say that the Department were aware specifically of the increases in this case at the time of the budget. Obviously they would have been aware of some of them.
So they were aware of some of them?
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that it is on the record of the House that information in respect of many of the increases referred to in the report of the NPC— March edition—was available by 6th January last to the Minister for Industry and Commerce? I am speaking specifically of the increases in respect of RTE, CIE and the ESB.
In regard to the question that was tabled by Deputy Dowling, many of the increases concerned were in respect of relatively small industries or service operations. While, in the absence of a specific question, I am not in a position to comment either on the statement referred to by Deputy Collins or on the instances to which he refers, it is likely that the information was not available before the date of the budget in respect of many of the increases that are listed.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in respect of the recent price increases granted to CIE, RTE and the ESB the recommendations for approval were with the Minister for Industry and Commerce on January 6th but were suppressed deliberately by the Government at the time of the budget?
That question has been posed already.
I suggest that, if the Deputy wishes to know the dates on which applications for increases in these instances were submitted, he should table a question to that effect. However, I would point out that in the normal way the Minister does not become aware of increases—at least not in his personal capacity, whatever about his departmental officials—until such time as the applications have been processed by the NPC and submitted for approval. The Minister would not become aware of every application for a price increase.
What I am trying to say——
We must have finality on this question.
——is that the NPC had dealt with the applications for the increases to which I have referred, that their recommendations that the increases be approved were on the Minister's desk on 6th January but that the Minister delayed action deliberately until after the budget.
That point has been made adequately.
If the Deputy wishes to pursue this matter he should do so by way of a separate question.
It is incorporated in the question before us.