asked the Taoiseach if the publication of the agricultural input price index by the Central Statistics Office is delayed by six months after the publication of the output price index, and if so, why.
Written Answers. - Agricultural Input Price Index.
382.
The agricultural input price index to which the Deputy refers is a new series of monthly indices which was introduced in April 1979. The initial release contained data extending up to and including December 1978. The series had to be temporarily discontinued, however, because of the intervention of the postal dispute. Publication was resumed on 1 November 1979 when the figures for July 1979 were issued together with the corresponding indices for the first six months of the year, for which data had to be collected retrospectively. As is the practice with the monthly agricultural output price index, the input index will be issued monthly in future as the index numbers become available.
The agricultural output price index series was not so severely disrupted by the postal dispute and it proved feasible to publish provisional monthly indices. The necessary revisions to these provisional results are now being made. It is anticipated that revisions will not be significant.