Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

There is a category that covers housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels. The CPI also covers alcoholic beverages, clothing and footwear, furnishings, health, transport, communications, recreation and culture, education, restaurants and hotels and miscellaneous goods and services. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs has made provision to ensure that the vulnerable are helped at times like this. There are positive signs regarding oil prices that will be factored in when the next set of statistics are released. The CPI provides a comprehensive set of figures. If we considered the HICP, which excludes mortgages, we would be in a favourable position.

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