Part 1

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FOR OFFICIAL USE.

RIALTAS SEALADACH NA HEIREANN.

MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS.

REPORT

ON THE

COST OF LIVING

IRELAND

JUNE, 1922.

DUBLIN: PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATIONERY OFFICE.

To be purchased through any Bookseller or directly from EASON & SON, LTD., 40 AND 41 LOWER SACKVILLE STREET, DUBLIN.

1922.

Price One Shilling.

PREFACE.

It having been represented to the Provisional Government that it was desirable to calculate an official figure indicating in respect of Ireland the change in the cost of living at the present time as compared with the cost of living in 1914, the Provisional Government appointed for the purpose on 10th June, 1922, a Committee comprising representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, Economic Affairs and Labour. The Committee reported on the 4th August, 1922, and the result of its enquiries, together with the Committee's detailed explanation of the procedure adopted, are appended hereto.

The conclusions set out in the report represent the closest approximation which is practicable to the average increases in the cost of maintaining, in particular months of the current year as compared with July, 1914, the same standard of living for a family dependent on wage earnings in places with 500 or more inhabitants. The inquiry applied to the whole of Ireland, and its basis is therefore broad enough to be reasonably dependable for any practical purpose to which a calculation as to changes in the cost of living can usefully be applied.

It is proposed to arrange for the calculation at intervals of three months of a cost of living figure on the same basis as that adopted by the Committee for the purpose of this report. September will be the next month for which a figure will be determined.

It is to be observed that the information collected in the course of this inquiry has incidentally revealed relations between the wholesale and the retail prices of several important commodities and between the prices of the same commodity in similar localities which require explanation. This matter is being further examined with a view to determining whether any undue advantage is being taken of the general body of consumers, and, if that be the case, to the adoption of appropriate remedies.

MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, 23rd August, 1922.

THE COST OF LIVING

IRELAND.

REPORT

To the Chairman, Provisional Government, Ireland.

By minute dated the 10th June last we were appointed by the Government to determine the cost of living in Ireland for the months of March and June, 1922, as compared with the cost of living in July, 1914, on such a basis as would show the average increase in the cost of maintaining the same standard of living for a family dependent on wage earnings. We were asked to complete our calculations not later than July 15th, if possible, but owing to the fact that a considerable proportion of our staff were unable to reach our offices during the recent troubles in Dublin we were given until the 25th to complete our work. The following letter was sent to the Head of the Government on the 26th July:--

"A Chara,--The Report of the Cost of Living Committee is not yet finally drafted, but the main lines of it have been agreed upon. We think, therefore, that we ought to acquaint you at once that our investigations show that the percentage increase in the Cost of Living of Wage Earning Classes in Ireland between July, 1914, and June, 1922, is 85.2 per cent. and the increase between July, 1914 and March, 1922, is 91.4 per cent.

"Sinne, le meas mor,"

The following Report, while bringing out the points essential to a purely Irish cost of living inquiry, can hardly be regarded as exhaustive, in view of the mass of figures collected which could be examined from many different points of view. Had we been able to spend a longer time in digesting these figures we should not have arrived at any different final result as regards the Irish cost of living figure; but we think that many interesting and important facts might be brought out by a further analysis of the figures which we have not had time to undertake, and we suggest, therefore, that the Government should request the Ministry of Economic Affairs to investigate more thoroughly, from the point of view of their general economic significance, the figures collected and compiled.