asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether the findings of the EEC prices survey of EEC capitals, published in April, are regarded by his Department as accurate.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Prices Survey.
22.
I assume that the Deputy is referring to the findings of the survey of ten key food items in the nine EEC capital cities, details of which were published in the daily press on 6th April, 1973. This survey was not, in fact, an official EEC survey but was carried out, independently, by the Reuter News Agency.
Generally while the prices given for individual items may not be quite correct the total cost stated for Dublin of the ten food items covered in the survey is reasonably representative of the actual position.
The reason I put down this question is that some of the housewives' associations and the country-women's association have said that they painted far too rosy a picture. Would the Minister confirm for them whether this report is fairly accurate?
My Department is satisfied, looking at the survey, that it is reasonably representative of the actual position.