Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Consumer Price Index. – Dáil Éireann (18th Dáil) – Tuesday, 22 Jun 1965

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Consumer Price Index.

Mr. Cosgrave

asked the Taoiseach the actual changes for each item included in the consumer price index, and the percentage change in each case for this index for mid-May 1965 compared with mid-May 1964.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement giving (a) the national average retail prices of certain items of food at mid-May, 1964 and mid-May, 1965 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 items, other than certain 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 inquiries. 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.

Following is the statement:—

(a) NATIONAL Average Retail Prices of Food items at mid-May, 1964 and mid-May, 1965 and the actual change in each case.

Article	Per	Average price to nearest ¼d.	Increase (+) or decrease (-) between mid-May, 1964 and mid-May, 1965
Mid-May 1964	Mid-May 1965
		s.	d.	s.	d.	d.
Beef:
Round steak	lb.	4	6¾	5	4¼	+9½
Sirloin	,,	5	4½	6	1½	+9
Rib	,,	3	8¾	4	3¼	+6½
Shoulder	,,	3	3¼	3	8¾	+5½
Neck	,,	2	11½	3	4¾	+5¼
Corned brisket	,,	2	3	2	6	+3
Liver	,,	2	11	3	3½	+4½
Mutton:
Leg	,,	3	9¾	4	2¾	+5
Loin Chops	,,	4	7	5	0½	+5½
Neck	,,	2	0½	2	2¾	+2¼
Shoulder	,,	2	11	3	2½	+3½
Fillet	,,	4	0¾	4	6	+5¼
Bacon:
Irish streaky	,,	4	3	4	5¼	+2¼
Irish, shoulder	,,	2	11	2	11	no change
Pigs' heads	,,		10¼		10¼	no change
Ham, uncooked	,,	4	8	4	9	+1
Ham, cooked	,,	8	2¼	8	0¾	-1½
Rashers, streaky	,,	4	3½	4	5	+1½
Fresh pork, shoulder	,,	3	11	4	0½	+1½
Pork sausages	,,	3	2	3	2¾	+ ¾
Boiling fowl	,,	2	3	2	3¾	+ ¾
Kippered herring	doz.	4	6	4	7	+1
Fresh herring	lb.	1	3¾	1	3½	- ¼
Fish—Whiting	,,	2	3¼	2	3½	+¼
Cod steak	,,	3	5¼	3	4¾	- ½
Eggs	doz.	2	9½	3	1½	+4
Butter—Irish Creamery	lb.	4	8½	4	8¼	-¼
,, Farmers'	,,	3	11½	4	0½	+1
Margarine	,,	1	9½	1	11¾	+2¼
Cheese	,,	3	4¾	3	5¾	+1
Lard	,,	1	4¾	1	5½	+¾
Fresh milk	quart	1	1¾	1	2	+¼
Bread	2 lb. loaf	1	5¾	1	6¼	+½
Flour—household	3½ lbs.	2	3¾	2	3½	-¼
Oatmeal	14 ,,	9	1¾	9	2	+¼
Rice	lb.	1	0½	1	0½	no change
Semolina	,,	1	2¾	1	3	+¼
Potatoes	14 lbs.	2	11¾	5	7¾	+32
Cabbage	head		6½		7	+½
Onions	lb.		9¾		10½	+¾
Carrots	,,		7½		11	+3½
Dried Peas	,,	1	4¼	1	4½	+¼
Cooking Apples	,,	1	0		10¾	-1¼
Oranges	,,	1	2½	1	4	+1½
Tomatoes	,,	2	11	2	8	-3
Sultanas	,,	1	9½	1	10½	+1
Tinned beans in tomato	1 lb. tin	1	2¼	1	2¾	+½
sauce.
Tea—best	lb.	7	10¼	7	10¼	no change
as used by wage-earning classes.	,,	6	6	6	6	no change
Coffee	,,	6	5¾	6	6¾	+ 1
Cornflour	½ lb. pkt.	1	0¾	1	0¾	no change
Custard powder	,,	1	0½	1	1	+ ½
Sugar	lb.		9¾		9¾	no change
Jam—Strawberry	,,	2	3	2	3¾	+ ¾
Mixed Fruit	,,	1	8¾	1	9½	+ ¾
Marmalade	,,	1	11¾	2	0¼	+ ½
fellies	pkt.		10½		10¾	+ ¼

PERCENTAGE change in prices of items entering into the Consumer Price Index between mid-May, 1964 and mid-May, 1965.

Commodity	Percentage increase (+) or decrease (-)
FOOD:
Beef	+ 14.54
Mutton	+ 10.00
Bacon and Pigs' heads	+2.96
Ham, uncooked	+2.52
,, cooked	- 1.69
Rashers, streaky	+3.06
Fresh, pork, shoulder	+4.44
Pork sausages	+1.34
Boiling fowl	+0.79
Kippered herring	- 0.15
Fresh herring	- 0.02
Whiting	+1.60
Cod steak	- 0.37
Tinned salmon	+3.26
Eggs, 1st grade, hen	+11.65
Butter, Irish creamery	- 0.37
,, farmers'	+1.58
Margarine	+ 11.07
Cheese	+1.59
Lard	+4.13
Fresh milk	+1.97
Condensed milk	+2.89
Bread	+2.43
Household flour	- 0.22
Cake	+2.21
Oatmeal	+1.16
Breakfast cereals	+0.12
Rice	+1.93
Semolina	+2.30
Potatoes	+ 89.47
Cabbage	+9.28
Onions	+6.42
Carrots	+ 49.04
Dried peas	+2.28
Cooking Apples	- 9.65
Oranges	+12.12
Tomatoes	- 8.98
Sultanas	+4.27
Tinned pears	- 0.07
Tinned beans in tomato sauce	+1.95
Tea, best quality	+0.02
Tea, as used by wage- earning classes	+0.09
Coffee	+0.80
Cocoa	+1.21
Cornflour	+1.11
Custard powder	+3.02
Sugar—white granulated	+0.10
Salt, table	+0.14
Mustard	+1.50
Jam—Strawberry	+2.14
,,—mixed fruit	+3.81
,,—marmalade	+2.88
Sauce	+0.84
Boiled sweets	+0.71
Bar of chocolate	+0.16
Biscuits	+0.78
Jellies	+2.08
Soft drinks	+0.98
Other groceries	+8.27
DRINK AND TOBACCO:
Beer and ale	+0.46
Stout—bottled	+0.35
,, draught	+0.35
Whiskey (Irish)	+0.56
Cigarettes	+4.21
Tobacco	+4.11
CLOTHING:
MEN'S:
Suit—readymade	+5.03
,,—tailormade	+2.46
Overcoat—readymade	+3.74
Cotton raincoat, rubber- proofed	+3.20
Wool gaberdine raincoat	+4.30
Sports coat	+2.48
Flannel trousers	+3.07
Hat	+3.09
Overalls	+3.49
Pullover (wool, sleeveless)	+4.96
Cotton singlet	+3.05
Woollen vest (short sleeves)	+3.31
Underpants	+4.70
Shirt (collar attached)	+1.78
,, (tunic 2 collars)	+2.03
Pyjamas	+1.67
Socks	+2.40
BOYS' (AGED ABOUT 12 YEARS):
Suit	+7.80
Overcoat	+5.32
Raincoat	+2.65
Woollen jersey (long sleeves)	+5.86
Shirt	+1.42
Woollen stockings	+4.51
WOMEN'S:
Light coat	+1.32
Heavy coat	+2.02
Costume	+1.39
Blouse	+1.22
Skirt	+1.48
Woollen dress	+1.04
Silk or art silk dress	+1.17
Cotton dress	+2.30
Hat	+1.84
Gloves	+3.34
Cardigan	+3.80
Slip	+1.19
Brassiere	+3.25
Corset	+2.76
Knickers	+2.14
Vest	+3.24
Nightdress	+2.02
Stockings—nylon—fully fashioned	- 0.75
Stockings—lisle	+0.01
GIRLS'(aged about 12 years)
Overcoat	+1.67
Cotton frock	+3.70
Woollen frock	+3.20
Stockings	+1.62
OTHER CLOTHING ITEMS:
Cotton piece goods	+4.42
Woollen piece goods	+1.73
Knitting wool	+1.48
FOOTWEAR:
Men's Boots	+1.69
,, Shoes (leather sole)	+1.38
Boys' boots (for boy of 12)	+1.07
,, shoes (for boy of 12)	+1.58
Wellington boots (for boy of 12)	+2.19
Women's shoes	+1.94
Girls' shoes (for girl of 12)	+1.66
Child's sandals	+1.52
Men's rubber boots	+0.64
OTHER CLOTHING	+2.56
FUEL AND LIGHT:
Candles	+0.92
Paraffin	+0.42
Coal	- 0.61
Gas	+0.55
Turf (other than briquettes)	+0.71
Firewood blocks	+0.77
Electricity	No change
DURABLE HOUSEHOLD GOODS:
Wire mattress	+3.47
Spring interior mattress	+2.26
Fibre mattress	+6.31
Kitchen chair	+9.95
Kitchen table, white deal	+2.24
Three-piece suite, upholstered	+2.88
Bedroom suite	+3.17
Wireless receiving set	+0.51
Carpet	+2.52
Linoleum	+2.16
Door mat	+3.66
Blankets, woollen	+1.36
Sheets	+1.25
Curtain material	+3.82
Hand towel (terry)	+1.93
Dishcloth	+4.80
Table knives	+2.37
Forks	+6.48
Cup and saucer, undecorated whiteware	+4.28
Tumbler	+1.65
Saucepan, aluminium	+1.03
Galvanised bucket	+3.17
Sweeping brush	+1.85
Scrubbing brush	+3.26
Electric iron	+0.48
Electric lamp bulb, 60 watt	+1.07
Non-electrical appliances	- 3.45
Motor cars and motor cycles	+3.36
OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES:
Soap—household	No change
,, —toilet	+1.20
,, —powder	+0.98
Scouring powder	+2.29
Boot polish	+1.89
Floor polish	No change
Toothpaste	+0.55
Toilet paper	+2.73
Razor blades	No change
Face powder	+2.91
Lipstick	+0.76
Aspirin	+1.33
Quinine	+0.72
Matches	No change
Writing pad	+1.45
Package of envelopes	No change
Bicycle	+0.39
Cycle tyre	+0.43
Papers and magazines	+5.94
Petrol and oil	+4.81
Admission to cinema	+2.45
,, to football match	+7.95
Admission to dance	+3.59
Shoe repairs, men's sole and heel, leather	+1.50
Men's haircut	+4.22
Woman's trim, shampoo and set	+4.17
Dry cleaning of men's three-piece suit	+1.64
Dry cleaning of women's costume	+1.79
Travel—train	No change
,, —bus	No change
,, —other travelling	+4.09
Post	+ 17.09
Phone	+ 14.29
Education	+ 15.99
Domestic service	+ 11.19
Hotel expenses	+5.71
HOUSING:
Rent and rates of rented dwellings	+5.48
Rates of owner occupied dwellings	+9.70
Repairs and decorations of all dwellings	+2.75

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 22 Jun 1965