February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Andrew Bushe
DUBLIN — The inflation rate remained unchanged at 4.8 percent in April but figures released by the Central Statistics Office show prices in some sectors continued to rise strongly.
Consumer prices increased by 0.9 percent in the month, the same rate of increase as during April last year 2001, leaving the annual rate unchanged.
Inflation as measured by the EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices rose by 0.7 percent in the month and by 5 percent for the year.
This compared to 5.1 percent in March.
Irish competitiveness is being eroded as inflation is now more than double the 2.3 percent March average inflation rate in the other 14 EU countries.
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In some sectors of the economy prices are rising at double the rate of inflation.
The most notable increases in prices in the month were higher prices for services including childcare, transport, health and hotel, restaurant and pub charges.
In the last year, goods and services prices were up 11.3 percent, health and hospital costs went up 10.8 percent, education jumped by 9.4 percent, charges in hotels, restaurants and pubs jumped 7.5 percent and recreation and culture costs were up 7.3 percent.
The only price fall was in the clothing and footwear sector where charges were down 2.9 percent.