Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 11 Dec 1963

Vol. 206 No. 8

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Retail Food Prices.

5.

Mr. Cosgrave

asked the Taoiseach (a) the national average retail prices of the food items included in the consumer price index at mid-November 1961, mid-August 1963, and mid-November 1963, and the actual increase or decrease in each case, and (b) the percentage changes in the prices of all items entering into the consumer price index between mid-November 1961, mid-August 1963 and mid-November 1963.

Mr. J. Brennan

With your permission, Sir, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement giving (a) the national average retail prices of certain items of food at mid-November, 1961 and mid-August, 1963 and the actual change in each case and (b) the percentage change over the period in the prices of all the items entering into the Consumer Price Index numbers. In the case of some food items, no attempt is made to obtain quotations for an identical quality of the different articles in all areas and, therefore, any average prices computed would not be meaningful. The correctness of the relative price changes is ensured by the fact that at each source the identical article is priced at successive enquiries. Price quotations in respect of some items of food are not available from all centres at each enquiry and the figures for the percentage changes in these prices, computed in such a way as to eliminate the effect of differences in coverage, may differ slightly from the percentage calculated from the actual changes.

In comparing prices at mid-November and mid-August, it must be remembered that prices of certain food items fluctuate seasonally and that allowance must be made for this factor.

The compilation of the data for mid-November, 1963 is not yet completed but it is hoped to have the results available next week.

Following is the statement:

(a) NATIONAL Average Retail Prices of Food items at mid-November, 1961 and mid-August, 1963 and the actual change in each case.

Article	Per	Average price to nearest ¼d.	Increase (+) or decrease (-) between mid-November, 1961 and mid-August, 1963
Mid-Nov., 1961	Mid-August, 1963
		s.	d.	s.	d.	d.
Beef:
Round Steak	lb.	3	7¾	3	9¾	+	2
Sirloin	”	4	1¼	4	4¼	+	3
Rib	”	3	0	3	1½	+	1½
Shoulder	”	2	8¼	2	9¾	+	1½
Neck	”	2	5½	2	6½	+	1
Corned brisket	”	1	10¾	1	10¾	No change
Liver	”	2	6½	2	7½	+	1
Mutton:
Leg	lb.	3	3	3	4½	+	1½
Loin chops	”	3	10¼	4	1½	+	3¼
Neck	”	1	9½	1	10¾	+	1¼
Shoulder	”	2	6	2	7¾	+	1¾
Fillet	”	3	5¼	3	7¾	+	2½
Bacon:
Irish, streaky	”	4	0¾	4	0½	-	¼
Irish, shoulder	”	2	8	2	9	+	1
Pigs' heads	”		8		8¾	+	¾
Ham, uncooked	”	4	2½	4	3¼	+	¾
Ham, cooked	”	6	9½	7	4¾	+	7¼
Rashers, streaky	”	4	2	4	1¼	-	¾
Fresh pork, shoulder	”	3	7¼	3	8	+	¾
Pork sausages	”	2	10½	2	11¼	+	¾
Boiling fowl	”	2	3¾	2	2½	-	1¼
Kippered herring	doz.	4	5½	4	5½	No change
Fresh herring	lb.		11½	1	0¼	+	¾
Fish—Whiting	”	1	11	2	0	+	1
Cod steak	”	3	5¼	3	4	-	1¼
Eggs	doz.	6	0¼	4	4½	-	19¾
Butter—Irish Creamery	lb.	4	6½	4	6½	No change
” Farmers'	”	3	10½	3	10	-	½
Margarine	”	1	7¾	1	8½	+	¾
Cheese	”	3	2½	3	3¼	+	¾
Lard	”	1	4¾	1	4½	-	¼
Fresh milk	quart	1	0½	1	0¾	+	¼
Bread	2 lb. loaf	1	3¼	1	4	+	¾
Flour—household	3½lbs.	2	0¼	2	1	+	¾
Oatmeal	14 lbs.	8	6	8	10¾	+	4¾
Rice	lb.		11¼		11¾	+	½
Semolina	”	1	1	1	2	+	1
Potatoes	14 lbs.	2	8	2	9½	+	1½
Cabbage	head		5¾		6¼	+	½
Onions	lb.		7¾		10½	+	2¾
Carrots	”		7¾		9¼	+	1½
Dried Peas	”	1	3¼	1	3¼	No change
Cooking Apples	”	1	3¾		11½	-	4¼
Oranges	”	1	2¼	1	2¼	No change
Tomatoes	”	1	8¾	2	3	+	6¼
Sultanas	”	1	7	1	6	-	1
Tinned beans in tomato sauce	1 lb. tin	1	1¼	1	1½	+	¼
Tea—best	lb.	7	5½	7	5¾	+	¼
as used by wage-earning classes	”	6	2¼	6	2½	+	¼
Coffee	”	6	1½	6	2	+	½
Cornflour	½lb. pkt.		11¾	1	0	+	¼
Custard powder	”	1	0	1	0	No change
Sugar	lb.		7½		8¼	+	¾
Jam—Strawberry	”	2	1¼	2	1½	+	¼
Mixed Fruit	”	1	5¾	1	7¼	+	1½
Marmalade	”	1	9¾	1	10	+	¼
Jellies	pkt.		9½		10	+	½

(b) PERCENTAGE change in prices of items entering into the Consumer Price Index between mid-November, 1961 and mid-August, 1963.

Commodity	Percentage increase (+) or decrease (-)
FOOD:
Beef	+	4.56
Mutton	+	6.28
Bacon and Pigs' heads	-	0.24
Ham, uncooked	+	1.76
,,	cooked	+	8.61
Rashers	-	1.48
Fresh pork, shoulder	+	1.70
Pork sausages	+	1.30
Boiling fowl	-	4.02
Kippered herring	-	0.63
Fresh herring	+	5.84
Whiting	+	4.51
Cod steak	-	1.41
Tinned salmon	-	0.97
Eggs, 1st grade, hen	-	27.50
Butter, Irish creamery	-	0.02
,,	farmers'	-	1.01
Margarine	+	4.56
Cheese	+	1.71
Lard	+	0.79
Fresh milk	+	0.38
Condensed milk	+	7.56
Bread	+	4.36
Household flour	+	2.01
Cake	+	0.84
Oatmeal	+	4.63
Breakfast cereals	+	4.46
Rice	+	3.71
Semolina	+	1.39
Potatoes	+	4.67
Cabbage	+	10.05
Onions	+	37.70
Carrots	+	17.31
Dried peas	+	0.46
Cooking apples	-	27.02
Oranges	+	0.14
Tomatoes	+	29.19
Sultanas	-	5.08
Tinned pears	-	2.92
Tinned peas in tomato sauce	+	1.87
Tea, best quality	+	0.09
Tea, as used by wage-earning classes	+	0.20
Coffee	+	0.99
Cocoa	-	0.19
Cornflour	+	2.39
Custard powder	-	0.17
Sugar—white granulated	+	10.15
Salt, table	-	0.72
Mustard	+	8.91
Jam—strawberry	+	0.59
,,	—mixed fruit	+	7.50
,,	—marmalade	+	1.62
Sauce	+	2.43
Boiled sweets	+	7.16
Bar of chocolate	No change
Biscuits	+	2.39
Jellies	+	3.54
Soft drinks	+	6.90
Other groceries	+	2.24
DRINK AND TOBACCO:
Beer and ale	+	18.25
Stout—bottled	+	19.22
,,	—draught	+	16.21
Whiskey (Irish)	+	10.97
Cigarettes	+	7.51
Tobacco	+	6.41
CLOTHING:
MEN'S:
Suit—readymade	+	7.30
,,	—tailormade	+	5.48
Overcoat—readymade	+	4.76
Cotton raincoat, rubber-proofed	+	2.96
Wool gaberdine raincoat	+	2.66
Sports coat	+	7.12
Flannel trousers	+	6.54
Hat	+	5.36
Overalls	+	7.42
Pullover (wool, sleeveless)	+	8.15
Cotton singlet	+	4.75
Woollen vest (short sleeves)	+	2.88
Underpants	+	3.51
Shirt (collar attached)	+	2.61
,,	(tunic 2 collars)	+	3.14
Pyjamas	+	1.68
Socks	+	1.14
BOYS' (AGED ABOUT 12 YEARS):
Suit	+	10.03
Overcoat	+	4.93
Raincoat	+	4.16
Woollen jersey (long sleeves)	+	7.81
Shirt	+	6.55
Woollen stockings	+	2.36
WOMEN'S:
Light coat	+	3.59
Heavy coat	+	2.93
Costume	+	2.55
Blouse	+	2.73
Skirt	+	1.76
Woollen dress	+	3.95
Silk or art silk dress	+	1.69
Cotton dress	+	4.18
Hat	+	7.06
Gloves	+	5.05
Cardigan	+	2.86
Slip	+	2.99
Brassiere	+	4.76
Corset	+	4.34
Knickers	+	2.40
Vest	+	5.81
Nightdress	+	3.60
Stockings—nylon—fully fashioned	-	0.89
Stockings—lisle	No change
GIRLS' (AGED ABOUT 12 YEARS):
Overcoat	+	7.10
Cotton frock	+	8.94
Woollen frock	+	5.74
Stockings	+	0.76
OTHER CLOTHING ITEMS
Cotton piece goods	+	5.46
Woollen piece goods	+	3.21
Knitting wool	+	0.01
FOOTWEAR:
Men's boots	+	2.73
,,	shoes (leather sole)	+	3.02
Boys' boots (for boy of 12)	+	2.65
,,	shoes (for boy of 12)	+	2.40
Wellington boots (for boy of 12)	+	2.58
Women's shoes	+	3.92
Girls' shoes (for girl of 12)	+	2.45
Child's sandals	+	2.79
Men's rubber boots	+	3.85
OTHER CLOTHING	+	4.12
FUEL AND LIGHT:
Candles	+	2.72
Paraffin	-	0.16
Coal	+	10.31
Gas	+	4.26
Turf (other than briquettes)	+	3.92
Firewood blocks	+	5.55
Electricity	No change
DURABLE HOUSEHOLD GOODS:
Wire mattress	+	1.79
Spring interior mattress	+	3.93
Fibre mattress	+	2.02
Kitchen chair	+	5.32
Kitchen table, white deal	+	3.58
Three-piece suite, upholstered	+	5.00
Bedroom suite	+	3.85
Wireless receiving set	+	0.64
Carpet	+	0.48
Linoleum	+	3.87
Doormat	+	0.94
Blankets, woollen	+	1.96
Sheets	+	2.04
Curtain material	+	3.73
Hand towel (terry)	+	1.32
Dishcloth	+	2.57
Table knives	+	1.64
Forks	+	2.09
Cup and saucer, undecorated whiteware	+	1.75
Tumbler	+	4.55
Saucepan, aluminium	+	5.71
Galvanised bucket	+	3.10
Sweeping brush	+	5.38
Scrubbing brush	+	5.07
Electric iron	+	1.04
Electric lamp bulb, 60 watt	+	2.93
Non-electrical appliances	-	1.64
Motor cars and motor cycles	+	2.67
OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES:
Soap—household	+	6.45
,,	—toilet	+	15.52
,,	powder	+	4.29
Scouring powder	+	0.84
Boot polish	+	27.32
Floor polish	+	4.55
Toothpaste	+	4.35
Toilet paper	+	2.89
Razor blades	-	2.78
Face powder	+	0.60
Lipstick	+	0.53
Aspirin	+	6.27
Quinine	+	2.31
Matches	No change
Writing pad	+	0.74
Package of envelopes	+	7.35
Bicycle	+	4.09
Cycle tyre	+	1.36
Papers and magazines	+	1.86
Petrol and oil	+	0.83
Admission to cinema	+	10.31
,,	to football match	+	6.95
,,	to dance	+	31.18
Shoe repairs, men's sole and heel, leather	+	3.59
Men's haircut	+	7.17
Women's trim, shampoo and set	+	6.12
Dry cleaning of men's 3 piece suit	+	5.67
Dry cleaning of women's costume	+	4.07
Travel—train	+	9.37
,,	—bus	+	11.88
,,	other travelling	+	7.89
Post	+	4.11
Phone	+	3.75
Education	+	12.07
Domestic service	+	11.38
Hotel expenses	+	11.97
HOUSING:
Rent and rates of rented dwellings	+	5.05
Rates of owner occupied dwellings	+	12.69
Repairs and decorations of all dwellings	+	2.60

Mr. Cosgrave

Would the Parliamentary Secretary arrange to have the information sent on when it is available?

Mr. J. Brennan

I am sure that is possible.