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Extra information
For more information on this release:
E-mail: cpi@cso.ie Colin Cotter (+353) 21 453 5770 Mary O'Connell (+353) 21 453 5445 Ann Ross (+353) 21 453 5427
For general information on CSO statistics:
information@cso.ie (+353) 21 453 5000 On-line ISSN 2009-5767
CSO statistical release, , 11am

Consumer Price Index

April 2017

CPI and HICP
 CPI HICP
 % monthly change % annual change % monthly change % annual change
Dec 20160.0 0.0 -0.1 -0.2
Jan 2017-0.5 0.3 -0.5 0.2
Feb 20170.6 0.5 0.5 0.3
Mar 20170.6 0.7 0.6 0.6
Apr 20170.4 0.9 0.4 0.7

Prices rise by 0.9% in the year to April 2017

Figure 1: CPI/HICP - ALL ITEMS Annual Percentage Change
go to full release

Prices on average, as measured by the CPI, were 0.9% higher in April compared with April 2016.

The most notable changes in the year were increases in Transport (+7.2%), Health (+2.2%), Restaurants & Hotels (+2.0%) and Miscellaneous Goods & Services (+1.7%). There were decreases in Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-4.9%), Clothing & Footwear (-4.3%), Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (-2.7%) and Recreation & Culture (-2.0%). 

Consumer Prices in April, as measured by the CPI, increased by 0.4% in the month.  During April of last year, prices rose by 0.2% in the month.  The most significant monthly price changes were increases in Transport (+2.3%) and Restaurants & Hotels (+0.5%).  There were decreases in Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.8%) and Clothing & Footwear (-0.6%).

Contributions to the overall CPI – annual change

Table 17 shows the contribution of each 2-digit COICOP1 division to the overall change in the CPI.  A detailed breakdown of the individual components of each of the 12 COICOP divisions is presented in Tables 4 to 15.

The divisions which caused the largest upward contribution to the CPI in the year were Transport (+1.00%), Restaurants & Hotels (+0.34%) and Miscellaneous Goods & Services (+0.21%).

The divisions which caused the largest downward contribution to the CPI in the year were Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (-0.30%), Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.24%) and Clothing & Footwear (-0.20%).

The main factors contributing to the annual change were as follows:

  • Transport rose mainly due to an increase in air fares and higher petrol and diesel prices which was partially offset by a reduction in the price of motor cars.
  • Restaurants & Hotels increased primarily due to higher prices for alcoholic drinks and food consumed in licensed premises, restaurants, cafes etc. and an increase in the cost of hotel accommodation.
  • Miscellaneous Goods & Services rose mainly due to higher health insurance premiums which was partially offset by lower prices for appliances, articles & products for personal care.
  • Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages fell due to lower prices across a range of products such as chocolate & confectionery, mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit & vegetable juices, meat and milk, cheese & eggs.
  • Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance decreased primarily due to the reduced cost of furniture & furnishings, non-durable household goods and household textiles.
  • Clothing & Footwear decreased due to sales.

Contributions to the overall CPI – monthly change

The divisions which caused the largest upward contribution to the CPI in the month were Transport (+0.34%) and Restaurants & Hotels (+0.09%).  The divisions which caused the largest downward contribution in the month were Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (-0.04%) and Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.04%).

The main factors contributing to the monthly change were as follows:

  • Transport rose primarily due to a rise in air fares and an increase in the cost of hiring personal transport equipment.
  • Restaurants & Hotels increased mainly due to an increase in the cost of hotel accommodation and higher prices for alcoholic drinks and food consumed in licensed premises, restaurants, cafes etc.
  • Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages fell due to lower prices across a range of products such as mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit & vegetable juices, meat and fish.
  • Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance decreased primarily due to the reduced cost of furniture & furnishings, household textiles and non-durable household goods.

CPI sub-indices

The sub index for Services rose by 3.1% in the year to April, while Goods decreased by 2.1%.  Services, excluding mortgage interest repayments, increased by 3.4% in the year since April 2016.

The CPI excluding tobacco increased by 0.4% in the month of April and rose by 0.7% in the year.  The CPI excluding mortgage interest increased by 0.5% in the month and rose by 1.1% in the year.

Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices

Prices on average, as measured by the EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), increased by 0.7% compared with April 2016.

The most notable changes in the year were increases in Transport (+7.6%), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+2.1%), Restaurants & Hotels (+2.0%) and Education (+1.7%).  There were decreases in Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-5.0%), Clothing & Footwear (-4.4%), Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (-2.7%) and Recreation & Culture (-2.0%).

The HICP increased by 0.4% in the month.  This compares to an increase of 0.3% recorded in April of last year.

The most significant monthly price changes were increases in Transport (+2.3%) and Restaurants & Hotels (+0.5%). There were decreases in Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-0.9%) and Clothing & Footwear (-0.6%).

1 Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose Adapted to the Needs of Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (2000).

2 See background notes for more detail.

Contributions to changeannual % change
Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages-2.7
Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco0
Clothing & Footwear-4.3
Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, etc.1
Furnishings, Household Equipment, etc.-4.9
Health2.2
Transport7.2
Communications-0.8
Recreation & Culture-2
Education1.7
Restaurants & Hotels2
Miscellaneous Goods & Services1.7
ALL ITEMS0.9
Table 1 Consumer Price Index (All Items)
PeriodConsumer Price Index (CPI) Percentage changes
Dec. 2016=100 Dec. 2011=100 1 month 3 months 12 months
2010Year95.8 96.9     -1.0
2011Year98.3 99.4     2.6
2012Year99.9 101.1     1.7
2013Year100.4 101.6     0.5
2014Year100.6 101.8     0.2
2015Year100.3 101.5     -0.3
2016Year100.3 101.5     0.0
           
2014January99.7 100.9 -0.5 -0.7 0.2
 February100.2 101.4 0.5 0.0 -0.1
 March100.9 102.1 0.7 0.7 0.2
 April101.0 102.2 0.1 1.3 0.3
 May100.9 102.2 0.0 0.8 0.4
 June101.1 102.3 0.1 0.2 0.4
 July100.9 102.1 -0.2 -0.1 0.3
 August101.1 102.3 0.2 0.1 0.4
 September100.8 102.1 -0.2 -0.2 0.3
 October100.6 101.8 -0.3 -0.3 0.2
 November100.3 101.5 -0.3 -0.8 0.1
 December99.9 101.1 -0.4 -1.0 -0.3
           
2015January99.1 100.3 -0.8 -1.5 -0.6
 February99.7 100.9 0.6 -0.6 -0.5
 March100.3 101.5 0.6 0.4 -0.6
 April100.3 101.5 0.0 1.2 -0.7
 May100.7 101.9 0.4 1.0 -0.3
 June100.9 102.2 0.3 0.7 -0.1
 July100.7 101.9 -0.3 0.4 -0.2
 August101.1 102.3 0.4 0.4 0.0
 September100.6 101.8 -0.5 -0.4 -0.3
 October100.4 101.6 -0.2 -0.3 -0.2
 November100.1 101.3 -0.3 -1.0 -0.2
 December100.0 101.2 -0.1 -0.6 0.1
           
2016January99.2 100.4 -0.8 -1.2 0.1
 February99.6 100.8 0.4 -0.5 -0.1
 March100.0 101.2 0.4 0.0 -0.3
 April100.2 101.4 0.2 1.0 -0.1
 May100.7 101.9 0.5 1.1 0.0
 June101.4 102.6 0.7 1.4 0.4
 July101.2 102.4 -0.2 1.0 0.5
 August101.0 102.2 -0.2 0.3 -0.1
 September100.6 101.8 -0.4 -0.8 0.0
 October100.1 101.3 -0.5 -1.1 -0.3
 November100.0 101.2 -0.1 -1.0 -0.1
 December100.0 101.2 0.0 -0.6 0.0
           
2017January99.5 100.7 -0.5 -0.6 0.3
 February100.1 101.3 0.6 0.1 0.5
 March100.7 101.9 0.6 0.7 0.7
 April101.1 102.3 0.4 1.6 0.9
           
Table 2 Consumer Price Index Subindices - April 2017
Subindices  Consumer Price Index (CPI) Percentage changes
Weights         
2017 Dec. 2016=100Dec. 2011=100 1 month 3 months 12 months
CPI excluding Tobacco97.229 101.1101.7 0.4 1.6 0.7
CPI excluding Housing89.109 101.1102.6 0.4 1.6 0.7
CPI excluding Mortgage Interest97.146 101.2104.8 0.5 1.7 1.1
CPI excluding Mortgage Interest and Local Property Tax96.650 101.2104.5 0.5 1.7 1.1
CPI excluding Energy Products92.026 101.1103.2 0.5 1.8 0.5
CPI excluding Energy and Unprocessed Food86.658 101.2103.7 0.5 2.0 0.7
Notes: CPI excluding Housing excludes rents, mortgage interest, maintenance & repair of the dwelling, refuse collection, sewage collection and
           insurance connected with the dwelling.
           CPI excluding Energy Products excludes fuels & lubricants for personal transport equipment and electricity, gas & other fuels.
           CPI excluding Energy and Unprocessed Food excludes fuels & lubricants for personal transport equipment, electricity, gas & other fuels, meat,
           vegetables, fruit and fish.
Table 3 Consumer Price COICOP Division Indices - April 2017
COICOP Division  Consumer Price Index (CPI) Percentage changes
Weights         
2017 Dec. 2016=100Dec. 2011=100 1 month 3 months 12 months
01Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages11.136 99.493.6 -0.4 -1.0 -2.7
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco5.459 100.8115.0 0.4 -0.7 0.0
03Clothing and Footwear4.894 98.084.0 -0.6 7.7 -4.3
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels14.378 100.5100.8 0.2 0.4 1.0
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance4.955 98.183.5 -0.8 1.1 -4.9
06Health2.869 101.2104.0 0.1 1.5 2.2
07Transport13.998 105.5100.7 2.3 5.3 7.2
08Communications3.156 100.792.0 0.4 0.3 -0.8
09Recreation and Culture7.089 99.895.8 0.1 0.2 -2.0
10Education2.043 100.0121.5 0.0 0.0 1.7
11Restaurants and Hotels17.479 101.6111.0 0.5 1.9 2.0
12Miscellaneous Goods and Services12.542 101.3117.7 0.2 1.1 1.7
 ALL ITEMS100.000 101.1102.3 0.4 1.6 0.9
 Of which:          
   Goods43.303 99.590.3 -0.3 0.4 -2.1
   Services56.697 102.3112.4 0.9 2.4 3.1
   Energy Products7.974 101.694.1 -0.1 -0.3 5.7
   Utilities and Local Charges3.071 100.0111.3 0.0 0.0 -8.5
   Alcohol9.396 100.7109.1 0.2 -0.3 -0.5
   Tobacco2.771 100.6129.2 0.5 0.6 6.3
   Mortgage Interest2.854 99.562.3 -0.3 -0.2 -2.5
   Services excluding Mortgage Interest53.843 102.5118.3 1.0 2.6 3.4
Notes: See Background Notes for definition of COICOP divisions, goods, services and utilities and local charges.
            Restaurants and Hotels (COICOP 11) includes alcoholic beverages consumed on licensed premises.
            Alcohol constitutes part of COICOP 02 (off-licence sales) and part of COICOP 11 (alcohol consumed on licensed premises) giving a combined
            index for alcohol.
Table 4 COICOP Division 01 Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages - April 2017
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2017 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
01.1 Food10.0067 99.4 -0.2-2.5
   01.1.1 Bread & Cereals1.7744 99.2 0.3-2.1
                   Rice0.0743 101.9 0.9-2.2
                   Flours & other cereals0.0378 97.2 -6.4-8.8
                   Bread0.5637 99.9 0.00.0
                   Other bakery products0.6029 98.2 0.3-1.3
                   Pizza & quiche0.1125 99.4 2.3-4.7
                   Pasta products & couscous0.0868 100.6 2.7-1.8
                   Breakfast cereals0.2000 100.1 1.4-3.8
                   Other cereal products0.0963 96.1 -3.1-8.0
   01.1.2 Meat2.5258 99.9 -0.4-1.9
                    Beef & veal0.4042 102.3 -3.1-1.2
                    Pork0.1440 103.7 -2.4-3.8
                    Lamb & goat0.1235 96.2 5.0-1.7
                    Poultry0.6023 99.3 0.0-1.2
                    Edible offal0.0047 99.7 -0.3-0.5
                    Dried, salted or smoked meat0.4541 99.7 0.6-1.8
                    Other meat preparations0.7932 99.3 -0.1-1.9
   01.1.3 Fish0.3828 93.3 -2.1-5.8
                   Fresh or chilled fish 0.1879 88.3 -2.3-6.2
                   Frozen fish0.0238 94.6 -3.7-9.6
                   Fresh or chilled seafood 0.0213 96.7 -3.1-2.6
                   Dried, smoked or salted fish & seafood0.0361 100.1 -1.71.2
                   Other preserved or processed fish & seafood-based preparations0.1136 98.4 -1.4-5.4
   01.1.4 Milk, cheese & eggs1.3398 98.5 -0.1-3.1
                   Fresh whole milk0.2942 100.0 0.0-0.9
                   Fresh low fat milk0.1738 100.1 0.0-0.4
                   Yoghurt0.2769 97.2 -1.0-3.5
                   Cheese & curd 0.3010 98.0 2.1-5.8
                   Other milk products0.1220 96.9 -2.8-3.4
                   Eggs0.1718 98.5 -0.6-4.2
   01.1.5 Oils & fats0.2798 103.2 1.62.9
                   Butter0.1411 106.1 0.94.7
                   Margarine & other vegetable fats0.0646 99.0 5.51.2
                   Olive oil0.0279 99.0 -0.1-2.1
                   Other edible oils0.0463 102.7 0.00.3
   01.1.6 Fruit0.8570 99.7 -0.70.0
                   Fresh or chilled fruit0.7006 99.4 -0.50.9
                   Dried fruit & nuts0.1371 101.7 -1.5-4.9
                   Preserved fruit & fruit-based products0.0193 97.2 -2.7-1.7
   01.1.7 Vegetables1.6030 99.5 -0.1-2.4
                   Fresh or chilled vegetables other than potatoes & other tubers0.6875 100.2 -0.1-1.6
                   Frozen vegetables other than potatoes & other tubers0.0422 97.4 -2.3-2.3
                   Dried vegetables, other preserved or processed vegetables0.3069 99.0 -0.4-3.8
                   Potatoes0.3566 98.5 -0.4-3.4
                   Crisps0.1916 100.3 1.5-0.8
   01.1.8 Sugar, jam, honey, chocolate & confectionery0.8779 100.7 0.2-6.0
                   Sugar0.0385 100.8 0.31.8
                   Jams, marmalades & honey0.0898 100.9 -1.20.4
                   Chocolate0.4200 102.8 1.1-11.3
                   Confectionery products0.1652 96.4 -3.3-6.8
                   Edible ices & ice cream0.1397 99.5 1.9-1.4
                   Artifical sugar substitutes0.0247 99.1 0.90.6
   01.1.9 Food products n.e.c. 0.3662 98.5 -1.9-2.7
                   Sauces & condiments0.1631 99.4 -1.4-0.6
                   Salt, spices & culinary herbs0.0342 99.8 -0.6-0.5
                   Baby food0.0243 99.9 0.2-0.7
                   Ready-made meals0.0666 95.7 -6.6-5.9
                   Other food products n.e.c.0.0779 98.1 0.1-4.1
01.2 Non-alcoholic beverages1.1297 100.1 -1.7-4.5
   01.2.1 Coffee, tea & cocoa0.2061 99.7 -2.4-3.9
                   Coffee0.1071 99.5 -6.4-9.2
                   Tea0.0901 100.2 3.20.8
                   Cocoa & powdered chocolate0.0089 96.9 -3.7-9.8
   01.2.2 Mineral waters, soft drinks, fruit & vegetable juices0.9236 100.1 -1.6-4.7
                   Mineral or spring waters0.2213 99.0 -1.6-1.2
                   Soft drinks0.3716 102.1 -2.2-5.2
                   Fruit & vegetable juices0.3308 98.7 -0.8-3.2
Total 11.1364 99.4 -0.4-2.7
Table 5 COICOP Division 02 Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco - April 2017
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2017 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
02.1 Alcoholic Beverages2.6881 100.9 0.3-5.5
   02.1.1 Spirits0.3746 109.2 -1.7-5.2
   02.1.2 Wine1.3618 96.7 0.0-10.0
   02.1.3 Beer0.9518 103.6 1.40.8
02.2 Tobacco2.7714 100.6 0.56.3
                   Cigarettes2.4441 100.6 0.66.3
                   Other tobacco products0.3273 100.9 0.16.2
Total5.4595 100.8 0.40.0
Table 6 COICOP Division 03 Clothing and Footwear - April 2017
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2017 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
03.1 Clothing3.9897 97.9 -0.6-4.1
   03.1.2 Garments3.7496 97.8 -0.7-4.3
   03.1.3 Other articles of clothing & clothing accessories0.1580 98.1 -1.4-4.0
   03.1.4 Cleaning, repair & hire of clothing0.0821 100.4 -0.11.0
                   Dry cleaning & laundry0.0738 100.4 -0.11.0
                   Dress hire & repair of clothing0.0084 100.5 0.40.9
03.2 Footwear0.9040 98.3 -0.6-5.4
   03.2.1 Shoes & other footwear0.8954 98.3 -0.6-5.4
   03.2.2 Repair & hire of footwear0.0085 100.8 0.01.7
Total4.8937 98.0 -0.6-4.3
Table 7 COICOP Division 04 Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels - April 2017
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2017 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
04.1/04.2 Actual rentals for housing & mortgage interest9.3012 100.8 0.23.4
   04.1.1 Actual rentals paid by tenants (Rents)6.4471 101.4 0.56.8
                   Private Rents5.5744 102.0 0.57.9
                   Local Authority Rents0.8727 97.2 0.0-0.7
   04.2.1 Mortgage Interest 2.8541 99.5 -0.3-2.5
04.3 Maintenance & repair of the dwelling0.7860 100.5 -0.1-0.4
   04.3.1 Materials for the maintenance & repair of the dwelling0.2483 99.2 -0.4-2.8
   04.3.2 Services for the maintenance & repair of the dwelling0.5377 101.1 0.00.9
04.4 Water supply & miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling 0.3120 100.0 0.0-29.8
04.5 Electricity, gas & other fuels3.9792 99.9 0.11.1
   04.5.1 Electricity2.0284 100.0 0.0-3.4
   04.5.2 Gas0.6397 100.0 0.0-2.6
                   Natural gas0.5966 99.9 0.0-2.8
                   Bottled gas0.0432 101.9 0.50.7
   04.5.3 Liquid fuels (Home Heating Oil)0.7385 99.8 0.924.6
   04.5.4 Solid fuels0.5726 99.8 0.1-0.2
Total14.3783 100.5 0.21.0
Table 8 COICOP Division 05 Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance - April 2017
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2017 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
05.1 Furniture & furnishings, carpets & other floor coverings1.3219 95.2 -0.9-10.1
   05.1.1 Furniture & furnishings1.3176 95.1 -1.0-10.2
   05.1.2 Carpets & other floor coverings0.0043 97.6 -3.4-2.1
05.2 Household textiles0.4059 94.2 -2.0-7.7
05.3 Household appliances0.5126 98.0 -0.6-4.0
   05.3.1 Major household appliances whether electric or not0.4316 97.9 -0.8-4.2
   05.3.2 Small electric household appliances0.0525 97.3 0.1-4.6
   05.3.3 Repair of household appliances0.0284 100.4 0.00.4
05.4 Glassware, tableware & household utensils0.5613 96.9 -1.0-5.6
05.5 Tools & equipment for house & garden0.2346 98.7 -0.5-4.2
   05.5.1 Major tools & equipment0.1333 98.1 -0.6-4.6
   05.5.2 Small tools & miscellaneous accessories0.1013 99.6 -0.3-3.6
05.6 Goods & services for routine household maintenance1.9189 101.3 -0.4-1.1
   05.6.1 Non-durable household goods1.0546 97.6 -0.7-7.3
   05.6.2 Domestic services & household services0.8643 105.9 0.06.9
Total4.9552 98.1 -0.8-4.9
Table 9 COICOP Division 06 Health - April 2017
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2017 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
06.1 Medical products, appliances & equipment0.9882 100.9 0.42.4
   06.1.1 Pharmaceutical products0.8064 100.7 0.12.7
                   Prescribed drugs0.5054 100.9 0.00.2
                   Other medicines0.3010 100.3 0.23.3
   06.1.2 Other medical products0.0229 99.9 -1.2-0.8
   06.1.3 Therapeutic appliances & equipment0.1588 102.1 2.01.8
06.2 Out-patient services1.6668 101.6 0.12.3
   06.2.1/3 Medical & paramedical services1.1230 102.3 0.03.4
                   Doctors' fees0.9781 102.6 0.13.7
                   Other medical & paramedical services0.1449 100.3 0.01.4
   06.2.2 Dental services0.5438 100.1 0.00.1
06.3 Hospital services0.2141 100.3 0.00.6
Total2.8691 101.2 0.12.2
Table 10 COICOP Division 07 Transport - April 2017
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2017 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
07.1 Purchase of vehicles4.8007 100.5 0.2-4.4
   07.1.1 Motor cars4.6973 100.5 0.2-4.5
   07.1.2 Motor cycles0.0288 102.1 0.12.1
   07.1.3 Bicycles0.0746 99.4 -1.3-1.8
07.2 Operation of personal transport equipment6.8216 102.6 0.66.5
   07.2.1 Spare parts & accessories for personal transport equipment0.3864 99.7 0.0-0.9
   07.2.2 Fuels & lubricants for personal transport equipment3.9946 103.2 -0.510.3
                   Petrol2.0448 103.7 -0.39.0
                   Diesel1.9440 102.8 -0.613.8
                   Motor oil0.0057 102.7 0.92.8
   07.2.3 Maintenance & repair of personal transport equipment0.7073 100.0 0.00.3
   07.2.4 Other services in respect of personal transport equipment1.7333 102.8 3.32.7
                   Motor tax0.7370 100.0 0.00.0
                   Other vehicle costs0.9964 104.8 5.84.5
07.3 Transport services2.3755 124.3 11.130.8
   07.3.1 Passenger transport by railway0.2087 100.3 0.01.8
   07.3.2 Passenger transport by road0.7705 100.0 0.0-0.3
                   Bus fares0.5471 100.0 0.0-0.5
                   Taxi fares0.2234 100.0 0.00.0
   07.3.3 Passenger transport by air1.2887 144.6 17.362.8
   07.3.4 Passenger transport by sea & inland waterway0.0575 102.7 55.812.9
   07.3.5 Combined passenger transport0.0220 100.5 0.02.4
   07.3.6 Other purchased transport services0.0281 100.0 0.01.8
Total13.9978 105.5 2.37.2
Table 11 COICOP Division 08 Communications - April 2017
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2017 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
08.1 Postal services0.1479 117.0 15.820.7
08.2/3.0 Telephone & telefax equipment and telephone & telefax services3.0083 99.9 -0.4-1.8
Total3.1562 100.7 0.4-0.8
Table 12 COICOP Division 09 Recreation and Culture - April 2017
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2017 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
09.1 Audio-visual, photographic & information processing equipment0.6076 96.9 1.6-14.6
   09.1.1 Equipment for the reception, recording & reproduction of sound & pictures 0.2344 97.1 -1.5-9.3
   09.1.2 Photographic & cinematographic equipment & optical instruments0.0562 98.6 -1.9-5.2
   09.1.3 Information processing equipment0.0880 91.5 -3.4-24.7
   09.1.4 Recording media0.2047 98.3 9.2-18.8
   09.1.5 Repair of audio-visual, photographic & information processing equipment0.0244 99.6 0.00.2
09.2 Other major durables for recreation & culture0.0114 99.5 -0.7-1.5
09.3 Other recreational items & equipment, gardens & pets1.2277 96.6 -2.1-11.2
   09.3.1 Games, toys & hobbies0.7491 94.7 -3.5-16.5
   09.3.2 Equipment for sport, camping & open-air recreation0.0884 101.1 0.0-0.7
   09.3.3 Gardens, plants & flowers0.1432 98.6 -0.2-9.5
   09.3.4/5 Pets & related products including veterinary & other services for pets0.2470 99.4 -0.31.9
09.4 Recreational & cultural services2.7211 100.8 0.02.6
   09.4.1 Recreational & sporting services0.7767 103.1 0.03.4
                   Sports admittance0.0510 102.9 0.04.1
                   Sports participation0.4050 100.5 0.01.1
                   Club & society subscriptions0.3127 106.4 0.06.4
   09.4.2 Cultural services1.9444 99.8 -0.12.4
                   Cinema0.1969 101.0 0.02.5
                   Nightclubs0.0835 99.0 -0.4-2.9
                   Cultural admittance0.3136 97.0 0.010.1
                   Television services1.2811 100.4 0.00.5
                   Other entertainment0.0694 101.3 0.20.1
09.5 Newspapers, books & stationery1.3576 99.6 -0.1-1.1
   09.5.1 Books0.3746 97.7 0.0-3.7
   09.5.2 Newspapers & periodicals0.8101 100.5 0.00.3
   09.5.3/4 Miscellaneous printed matter and stationery & drawing materials0.1729 99.7 -0.5-1.7
09.6 Package holidays1.1633 102.7 2.34.3
Total7.0887 99.8 0.1-2.0
Table 13 COICOP Division 10 Education - April 2017
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2017 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
10.1 Pre-primary & primary education0.1339 100.0 0.00.7
10.2 Secondary education0.2893 100.0 0.02.7
10.4 Tertiary education1.4369 100.1 0.11.5
10.5 Education not definable by level0.1830 100.0 0.02.1
Total2.0431 100.0 0.01.7
Table 14 COICOP Division 11 Restaurants and Hotels - April 2017
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2017 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
11.1 Catering services15.2074 100.5 0.21.3
   11.1.1 Restaurants, cafes & the like14.4494 100.5 0.21.3
                  Licenced premises7.5765 100.6 0.21.3
                      Spirits0.4859 100.7 0.21.7
                      Wine1.8567 100.7 0.21.4
                      Beer4.3655 100.5 0.11.1
                      Soft drinks & mineral water0.8684 100.6 0.21.4
                  Restaurants, cafes, fast food & take-away food6.8728 100.4 0.21.3
   11.1.2 Canteens0.7580 100.1 0.00.5
11.2 Accommodation services2.2721 108.6 2.36.4
Total17.4795 101.6 0.52.0
Table 15 COICOP Division 12 Miscellaneous Goods and Services - April 2017
DescriptionWeights Index Percentage changes
2017 Dec. 2016=100 1 month12 months
12.1 Personal care2.9543 99.7 -0.7-3.3
   12.1.1 Hairdressing salons & personal grooming establishments0.8593 99.9 0.01.0
                     Hairdressing0.6437 100.2 0.01.6
                     Health & beauty treatments0.2157 99.2 0.0-0.9
   12.1.2 Electric appliances for personal care0.1093 99.2 -1.9-2.3
   12.1.3 Other appliances, articles & products for personal care1.9857 99.6 -0.9-5.1
                     Hygiene products0.5028 102.8 0.0-4.5
                     Hair products0.2413 97.3 -4.4-7.5
                     Cosmetics & skincare products0.7732 100.1 0.5-2.8
                     Toilet accessories0.4684 96.7 -2.1-8.9
12.3 Personal effects n.e.c.0.8029 97.3 0.2-8.2
   12.3.1 Jewellery, clocks & watches0.3157 99.5 -0.1-2.6
   12.3.2 Other personal effects0.4872 95.9 0.4-11.9
12.4 Social protection0.9226 100.7 0.41.3
                     Childcare0.8111 100.6 0.40.9
                     Other social protection0.1114 101.2 0.03.0
12.5 Insurance6.1105 102.9 0.76.0
   12.5.2 Insurance connected with the dwelling0.6445 105.0 0.07.6
   12.5.3 Insurance connected with health3.6568 103.9 1.110.1
   12.5.4 Insurance connected with transport1.8092 100.0 0.0-2.5
                  Motor insurance1.7568 100.0 0.0-2.6
                     Motor cycle insurance0.0116 102.0 0.012.2
                     Motor car insurance1.7452 100.0 0.0-2.7
                  Travel insurance0.0524 100.0 0.0-1.3
12.6 Financial services n.e.c.0.3984 100.0 0.20.1
12.7 Other services n.e.c.1.3536 101.1 0.01.5
Total12.5424 101.3 0.21.7
Table 16 Consumer Price Index Goods and Services by COICOP Division - April 2017
COICOP DivisionWeights 2017 Index       Percentage changes
    Dec. 2016=100    
          
OverallGoodsServices GoodsServices GoodsServicesOverall
       12 months12 months12 months
01Food and Non Alcoholic Beverages11.13611.136- 99.4- -2.7--2.7
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco5.4595.459- 100.8- 0.0-0.0
03Clothing and Footwear4.8944.8030.091 97.9100.4 -4.51.0-4.3
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels 14.3781.60312.776 99.8100.6 10.20.21.0
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance4.9554.0460.909 96.5105.6 -7.56.6-4.9
06Health2.8690.9881.881 100.9101.4 2.42.12.2
07Transport13.9989.1824.816 101.6113.0 2.616.07.2
08Communications3.1560.1093.048 94.9100.9 -16.2-0.2-0.8
09Recreation and Culture7.0893.0794.010 97.9101.3 -7.93.1-2.0
10Education2.043-2.043 -100.0 -1.71.7
11Restaurants and Hotels17.479-17.479 -101.6 -2.02.0
12Miscellaneous Goods & Services12.5422.8989.645 99.0102.0 -5.84.21.7
ALL ITEMS100.00043.30356.697 99.5102.3 -2.13.10.9
Table 17 Contributions to the change in the All Items CPI - April 2017
COICOP DivisionPercentage contributions
1 month 3 months 12 months
01Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages-0.04 -0.11 -0.30
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco0.02 -0.04 0.00
03Clothing and Footwear-0.03 0.34 -0.20
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels0.03 0.06 0.16
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance-0.04 0.06 -0.24
06Health0.00 0.04 0.06
07Transport0.34 0.76 1.00
08Communications0.01 0.01 -0.02
09Recreation and Culture0.01 0.01 -0.15
10Education0.00 0.00 0.05
11Restaurants and Hotels0.09 0.33 0.34
12Miscellaneous Goods and Services0.03 0.14 0.21
 All Items % change0.4 1.6 0.9 
 Goods-0.13 0.18 -0.87
 Services0.54 1.42 1.78
 Energy Products-0.01 -0.03 0.45
 Tobacco0.01 0.02 0.16
 Mortgage Interest-0.01 0.00 -0.09
Notes: For the percentage contributions, the sum of the 2-digit COICOP divisions may not equal the All Items %
           change due to rounding differences.
Table 18 EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) - Ireland
Period HICP 2015=100 Percentage changes
 Monthly indexMoving 12-month average index 1 month12 monthsMoving 12-month average
2014January99.199.8 -0.60.30.4
 February99.799.8 0.60.10.3
 March100.299.8 0.50.20.3
 April100.299.8 0.00.30.3
 May100.299.8 0.00.40.3
 June100.499.9 0.20.50.3
 July100.399.9 -0.10.40.2
 August100.6100.0 0.30.60.3
 September100.4100.0 -0.20.50.3
 October100.1100.0 -0.30.40.4
 November99.8100.1 -0.30.20.4
 December99.4100.0 -0.4-0.30.3
        
2015January98.7100.0 -0.7-0.40.2
 February99.3100.0 0.6-0.40.2
 March100.0100.0 0.7-0.20.2
 April99.999.9 -0.1-0.30.1
 May100.499.9 0.50.20.1
 June100.8100.0 0.40.40.1
 July100.5100.0 -0.30.20.1
 August100.8100.0 0.30.20.0
 September100.3100.0 -0.5-0.10.0
 October100.0100.0 -0.3-0.10.0
 November99.7100.0 -0.3-0.1-0.1
 December99.6100.0 -0.10.20.0
        
2016January98.7100.0 -0.90.00.0
 February99.1100.0 0.4-0.20.0
 March99.499.9 0.3-0.60.0
 April99.799.9 0.3-0.20.0
 May100.299.9 0.5-0.20.0
 June100.999.9 0.70.1-0.1
 July100.699.9 -0.30.1-0.1
 August100.499.9 -0.2-0.4-0.1
 September100.099.9 -0.4-0.3-0.1
 October99.699.8 -0.4-0.4-0.2
 November99.599.8 -0.1-0.2-0.2
 December99.499.8 -0.1-0.2-0.2
        
2017January98.999.8 -0.50.2-0.2
 February99.499.8 0.50.3-0.2
 March100.099.9 0.60.6-0.1
 April100.499.9 0.40.70.0
Table 19 EU Harmonised Consumer Price COICOP Division Indices - April 2017 Ireland
COICOP DivisionHICP Percentage changes Percentage contributions
Year 2015=100 1 month 12 months 1 month 12 months
01Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages96.5 -0.4 -2.7 -0.04 -0.32
02Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco101.6 0.4 0.0 0.02 0.00
03Clothing and Footwear95.6 -0.6 -4.4 -0.03 -0.21
04Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels103.5 0.3 2.1 0.04 0.26
05Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance93.2 -0.9 -5.0 -0.04 -0.26
06Health101.7 0.1 1.4 0.00 0.08
07Transport101.9 2.3 7.6 0.33 1.04
08Communications98.4 0.4 -0.7 0.01 -0.03
09Recreation and Culture97.3 0.1 -2.0 0.01 -0.16
10Education104.7 0.1 1.7 0.00 0.05
11Restaurants and Hotels103.4 0.5 2.0 0.09 0.37
12Miscellaneous Goods and Services99.4 -0.1 -1.4 -0.01 -0.10
All Items HICP100.4 0.4 0.7 0.4 0.7 
Notes: For the percentage contributions, the sum of the 2-digit COICOP divisions may not equal the All Items HICP due to rounding differences.

Background Notes

Consumer Price Index

Definition

The Consumer Price Index is designed to measure the change in the average level of prices (inclusive of all indirect taxes) paid for consumer goods and services by all private and institutional households in the country and by foreign tourists holidaying in Ireland.

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

Approximately 51,000 prices are collected for a representative basket consisting of 615 item headings in a fixed panel of retail and service outlets throughout the country during the week containing the second Tuesday of each month up to and including the third Tuesday of each month.  The dates to which the April index relates are Monday, 10th to Tuesday, 18th April 2017.

Scope of the Index

  1. Population Coverage: All private and institutional households in the State and the expenditure of foreign tourists within Ireland.  It does not include the expenditure of other non private households.    Expenditure which occurs abroad by Irish residents is also excluded.  In statistical terms coverage is referred to as the domestic concept.
  2. Geographic Coverage: Covers the whole of the Republic of Ireland.  Pricing takes place in 84 locations (cities and towns) throughout the country.  These sampling points are located in Dublin city and county, the four regional cities of Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford, approx. 80% of towns with a population of 10,000 and over, approx. 70% of towns between 5,000 and 9,999 and a smaller proportion below this threshold.  The results are weighted to represent the distribution of the population and its related consumer expenditure.
  3. Item Coverage: All goods and services bought by the reference population for the purposes of consumption are included in the index.  Expenditure on capital assets and investments, gambling and certain other activities are however excluded.  There are 615 item headings and 12 division headings based on the COICOP classification.  With each rebase the coverage of goods and services is reviewed to ensure that it continues to be representative of consumer tastes and purchasing practices.

Price Collection   

Personal visits are made to retail outlets by some 80 price collectors on a monthly basis.  Approximately 48,000 price quotations are gathered in this way.  In addition, 137 special inquiries covering items such as utility charges and services are conducted by post, telephone and e-mail in conjunction with internet price collection.  Most prices are collected monthly, some quarterly and others annually.  The CSO supplies general specifications to price collectors and price collectors are free initially to select a brand and in certain cases, size.  This allows for a wide variety of different brands of the same item to be priced throughout the country.  Once selected, the same item/brand is priced on a monthly basis in order to ensure matched price quotations.  If an item disappears, substitution can occur but that price is excluded until matched prices are available for the same comparable item for two consecutive months.  The CSO wishes to put on record its appreciation of the co-operation and assistance it receives from retail outlets and other business concerns.

Classification

The classification used in the CPI is based on a version of the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose Adapted to the Needs of Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (2000) (COICOP).  This replaced the former national classification which was used up to December 2001.  The COICOP classification breaks consumer expenditure into twelve different divisions covering a comprehensive range of consumer goods and services.

Annual Update of CPI Weights

Since 2012 the weights of the items in the basket have been updated annually at CPI COICOP class (4-digit) level using information on consumer expenditure from National Accounts Household Final Monetary Consumption Expenditure (HFMCE). Additionally at the 2016 rebase, a more granular level update of the weights (5-digit) was possible using information from the latest Household Budget Survey (HBS) which was carried out between February 2015 and February 2016.

CPI Item Weights

The CPI measures in index form the monthly changes  in the cost of purchasing  a fixed representative ‘basket’ of consumer goods and services (i.e. Laspeyres formula).  Identical items are priced in the same outlet on each occasion so that changes in the cost of this constant basket reflect only pure price changes. The current basket of goods and services consists of 615 representative items which were predominantly selected as part of the December 2016 rebase.  The representative share of each item in the basket is proportional to the average amount purchased by all households in the State and foreign tourists in Ireland based primarily on the 2015/2016 Household Budget Survey (HBS) and estimates of expenditure by foreign tourists across a range of consumer goods and services.  

Methodological Details

A full methodological description of the new series is available in the CPI - Introduction of Updated Series (Base December 2011=100) (PDF 306KB) which is published on the CSO website. The December 2016 =100 Introduction of Updated Series will be available in the near future. 

Rebase

The index has been rebased with effect from December 2016.

The rebase of the current CPI resulted in a number of methodological changes:

  • Updating the expenditure weights;
  • A revision of the sample of goods and services;
  • Improved methods of price collection

Goods and Services

Goods

Goods are defined as non service items usually purchased and transportable from a retail outlet.

Services

Services include the following: rents, mortgage interest, services for the maintenance & repair of the dwelling, water supply & miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling, electricity, gas, repair of household appliances, tool hire, domestic services & household services, out-patient services, hospital services, maintenance/repair and other services in respect of personal transport equipment, transport services, postal services, telephone services, repair of audio-visual, photographic & information processing equipment, veterinary & other services for pets, recreational & cultural services, package holidays, education, catering services, accommodation services, hairdressing salons & personal grooming establishments, social protection, insurance, financial services n.e.c. and other services n.e.c.

Utilities and Local Charges

Includes electricity, natural gas, refuse collection, sewage collection, water supply and telephone services – landline.

Mortgage Interest and the Local Property Tax in the CPI

Mortgage interest was first included in the CPI at the November 1975 rebase. The use of mortgage interest in the CPI reflects a user-cost approach to measuring owner-occupied housing.  This approach has involved measuring changes in average mortgage interest costs over time.  The household charge was introduced to the CPI in April 2012 and subsequently became the local property tax in July 2013. The local property tax is included in the basket under the item 'miscellaneous goods and services', which is part of COICOP 12.7.0.  The inclusion of the local property tax is consistent with the user-cost approach utilised for owner-occupied housing.  In the interest of transparency, an index excluding both mortgage interest and the local property tax is provided in Table 2 of the release to allow for their impact in the CPI to be seen.

Mortgage interest and the local property tax are excluded from the HICP.   

Water supply and sewage collection charges

Water supply and sewage collection charges were introduced in Ireland on 1 January 2015.  The coverage of the CPI/HICP is defined as those goods and services purchased by households for the purposes of consumption.  This definition required the incorporation of the new charges into the CPI/HICP.  Water supply and sewage collection charges are a component of group 04.4 Water supply & miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling of the COICOP consumption classification.  Water supply and sewage collection charges were suspended for a period of nine months from 1st July 2016. 

For a full discussion on the rationale and methodology for introducing water supply and sewage collection charges into the CPI/HICP, see the relevant CPI Technical Paper Introduction of Water Supply and Sewage Collection (PDF 593KB) .

Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices

Introduction

The European Union-Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (EU-HICP) is calculated in each Member State of the EU.  The purpose of this index is to allow the comparison of consumer price trends in the different Member States.

Comparison with CPI

The methodology now adopted for the construction of the national CPI is identical to that recommended for the HICP.  Thus the two indices only differ in respect of the coverage of certain goods and services and the treatment of insurance.  The current EU reference base period (Year 2005=100) is however retained for ease of comparison with other EU countries.

Excluded  Items

The following items, constituting approximately 6.2% of the Irish CPI expenditure weighting, are excluded from the HICP:

  • mortgage interest
  • building materials
  • motor car tax
  • motor cycle tax
  • motor car insurance (non-service)
  • contents insurance (non-service)
  • dwelling insurance
  • union subscriptions
  • local property tax 

Annual Update of HICP Weights

For 2017, the CPI COICOP class (4-digit) level weights were updated with a reference period of December 2016 using information on consumer expenditure from HFMCE.  The expenditure data were price updated at HICP COICOP class level to December 2016 using the price movement of the corresponding HICP COICOP class indices. Additionally at the 2016 CPI rebase, a more granular level update of the weights (5-digit) was possible using information from the latest 2015/2016 HBS. The expenditure data were price updated at HICP COICOP class level using the price movement of the corresponding HICP COICOP class indices.

Monetary Union Index of Consumer Prices (MUICP)

Euro area inflation is measured by the MUICP (‘Monetary Union Index of Consumer Prices’ as defined in Council Regulation (EC) No 2494/95 of 23 October 1995) which is the official euro area aggregate.  The MUICP is calculated as a weighted average of HICPs of the 18 countries in the euro area.  Country weights are computed every year reflecting the country’s share of the household final monetary consumption expenditure in the euro area total.

Classification System

The coverage of the indices is based on the international classification system, Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose Adapted to the Needs of Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (2000) (COICOP).

COICOP

Prior to the introduction of the December 2001 based series in January 2002 the CPI used a national classification while the EU Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (HICP) used COICOP.  To ensure greater comparability CPI and the HICP have both used the COICOP since December 2001.

The COICOP classification is based on 12 divisions:

01    Food and Non Alcoholic Beverages

Includes food and non alcoholic beverages purchased in supermarkets, small shops, speciality shops and petrol station forecourt outlets.  It excludes meals out which are covered under 11 Restaurants and Hotels.

02    Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco

Includes alcoholic beverages purchased in off licences and supermarkets but excludes alcohol consumed on or within licensed premises which is classified under 11 Restaurants and Hotels.  It also includes tobacco products.

03    Clothing and Footwear

Mens, ladies and childrens clothing and footwear, sports and leisurewear and services such as laundry and dry cleaning, shoe repair, dress hire and alteration.

04    Housing,  Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels

Covers rents, mortgage interest repayments, refuse collection, goods and services for maintaining, decorating and repairing dwellings and domestic energy products such as electricity, gas, home heating oil and solid fuels.  Water supply and sewage collection were added to this division under the item 'water supply and miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling' in January 2015.

05    Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance

Covers household items such as furniture, carpets and other floor coverings, household textiles and soft furnishings, household appliances and other household items such as utensils, tools, garden equipment and non-durable items for cleaning, washing and other day to day household activity.  Also included are services such as electrical repair, cleaning and gardening.

06    Health

Includes medical products, appliances and equipment, hospital charges and out patient services supplied by doctors, dentists, opticians, physiotherapists and practitioners of alternative and complementary medicine.

07    Transport

Includes the purchase of new and second hand vehicles, spare parts, car maintenance, fuels and lubricants, public transport and services such as parking, motor association subscriptions, car wash, toll charges, driving lessons, driving test, driving licence and car hire.

08    Communications

Postal and telecommunications services.

09    Recreation and Culture

Includes items such as audio visual and photographic equipment, computers, music and DVDs, sports and recreation goods, games and toys, items connected with gardening and pets, recreational, sporting and cultural activities and events, newspapers and other reading material, package holidays and other items connected with recreation and culture.

10    Education

Includes pre-primary and primary, secondary, third level fees and other education and training such as night courses and examination fees.

11    Restaurants and Hotels

Includes meals in restaurants and hotels, fast food and takeaways, cafes and canteens; alcohol consumed on or within a licensed premises and accommodation services supplied by hotels, guesthouses and hostels.

12    Miscellaneous Goods and Services

Covers a wide range of items including hairdressing; goods for hygiene, hair and body care; personal goods such as jewellery, handbags and wallets; childcare and other social protection services; insurance, financial services and other services including funerals, weddings, legal and professional services.  The household charge was added to this division, in the CPI, under the item 'miscellaneous goods and services' in April 2012.  The household charge subsequently became the local property tax in July 2013. The local property tax is not included in the HICP.

Calculating percentage changes in the index

The movement of the CPI, HICP and their subindices are expressed as percentage changes, rather than changes in index points, because index point changes are affected by the level of the index in relation to its base period, whereas percentage changes are not.  The example below illustrates the computation of index point and percentage changes.

 

Index point change  
Current index 106.7
Less previous index 103.7
Equals index point change 3.0
   
Percentage change  
Index point change 3.0
Divided by the previous index 103.7
Equals 0.0289
Result multiplied by 100 0.0289 x 100
Equals percentage change 2.9

 

Estimating Contributions

A contribution represents the amount of the overall percentage change in the All Items CPI which is accounted for by any given category.  It can be estimated for any category in the CPI (e.g. the twelve COICOP 2-digit divisions) and for any period of time.

Data Required:

  1. Base weight for the category for which you wish to estimate the contribution.
  2. Current index for the category in question (same base period).
  3. Previous index for the category in question (same base period).
  4. All Items CPI for the previous period in question (i.e. the start period).

Example:

To estimate the contribution of Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (COICOP 01) to the overall annual percentage change in the CPI up to July 2006 you would need the following data

 

1 Base weight for COICOP 01 (base:December 2001=100) 14.092%
2 Current Index (i.e. July 2006) for COICOP 01 103.7
3 Previous Index (i.e. July 2005) for COICOP 01 102.1
4 All Items CPI for the previous period (i.e. July 2005) 111.3

                        

Steps in the calculation

Step 1 Multiply the base weight by the current index 14.092 x 103.7
  Equals (1) 1461.3404
Step 2 Multiply the base weight by the previous index 14.092 x 102.1
  Equals (2)  1438.7932
Step 3 Subtract figure (2) from figure (1) 1461.3404 - 1438.7932
  Equals (3) 22.5472
Step 4 Divide figure (3) by the All Items CPI for the previous period 22.5472 / 111.3
  Equals Contribution 0.20

                                                                                                                                              

Therefore your estimated contribution of Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages to the percentage change in the CPI for the year to July 2006 is 0.20.  The actual published figure was 0.19.  The difference is due to the fact that actual published contributions are calculated using data to more decimal places.

It is more complicated to estimate contributions where more than one base period is involved, as the base weights will have changed (e.g. to estimate a contribution for the period January 2000 to January 2005 involves the November 1996=100 base and the December 2001=100 base).  For assistance in this regard please contact the CPI section.

Data Dissemination on www.cso.ie

The CSO website (www.cso.ie) now holds a range of CPI data.  Within the Consumer Prices section of the website (accessed via the ‘Prices’ link on the homepage), a range of principle statistics are held including overall annual percentage changes from 1977 to date, All Items CPI annual figures from 1996 to date and COICOP division monthly and annual figures from 2002 to date.

Further data can be accessed at www.cso.ie by clicking on ‘Databases’ and ‘Statbank CSO Main Data Dissemination Service’.  The subject area is ‘Economy’, ‘Prices’, ‘Consumer Prices’ and ‘Consumer Prices - Annual Series’ or ‘Consumer Prices - Monthly Series’.  The website is updated each month at 11am on the CPI publication day.

The Database Direct for the CPI contains monthly and annual index numbers and percentage changes for the following categories and time periods:

 

Category  Period
All Items CPI  1975 to date
12 COICOP Divisions  1975 to date

Special CPI Subindices (CPI excluding Tobacco, Energy Products, etc)

1982 to date
Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (HICP) 1997 to date

                                                                                                                                                                                                             

In addition, the following data can also be accessed within Database Direct.

  • National average prices for selected CPI goods and services from January 1997 to date.
  • All Items CPI numbers for various base periods from 1922 to date.
  • Detailed sub-indices are available from 2003 to date. 

Any queries relating to the usage of the web dissemination database for CPI data should be directed to cpi@cso.ie

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