asked the Taoiseach if he will state the respective prices in mid-February, 1957 and mid-November, 1968, of (a) a 2 lb. loaf of bread, (b) 1 lb. of butter, (c) a pint of stout, (d) 20 ordinary cigarettes, (e) 20 filter-tip cigarettes, (f) a glass of whiskey, (g) 1 lb. jam, (h) 1 lb. sugar, (i) 1 lb. of tea and (j) 1 lb. coffee.
Written Answers. - Prices of Provisions.
159.
The information on retail prices available to the Central Statistics Office is that collected at the quarterly inquiries made in connection with the calculation of the Consumer Price Index numbers.
The national average retail prices of certain food items, thus obtained, for mid-February, 1957 and mid-November, 1968 are given at A below. In the case of stout, cigarettes, whiskey and coffee no attempt is made to price the identical quality in different areas though the quality priced is kept uniform at each reporting centre. For this reason meaningful national average prices cannot be given for these items. The percentage increases in price between the dates in question are given at B below.
(A) NATIONAL average retail prices of certain commoditie at mid-February, 1957 and mid-November, 1968.
|
Commodity |
Average price to nearest ¼d. |
||||
|
Unit |
Mid-February, 1957 |
Mid-November, 1968 |
|||
|
s. |
d. |
s. |
d. |
||
|
Bread |
2 lb. loaf |
9 |
1 |
10½ |
|
|
Butter—Irish creamery |
lb. |
3 |
8¾ |
4 |
11 |
|
Jam—Strawberry |
,, |
2 |
0 |
2 |
6¼ |
|
Mixed fruit |
,, |
1 |
4¼ |
2 |
1 |
|
Sugar |
,, |
7 |
10½ |
||
|
Tea—best |
,, |
8 |
3 |
7 |
8½ |
|
—as used by wage-earning classes |
,, |
7 |
1¼ |
6 |
5¾ |
(B) PERCENTAGE increase in the prices of certain commodities between mid-February, 1957 and mid-November, 1968.
|
Commodity |
Unit |
Percentage increase mid-February, 1957 to mid-November, 1968 |
|
% |
||
|
Stout (draught) |
pint |
98.5 |
|
Cigarettes |
10 |
86.2 |
|
Whiskey (Irish) |
glass |
65.4(a) |
|
Coffee |
lb. |
4.3 |
(a) Change in proof strength taken into account.