Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

I ask the Minister to comment on a few important features of inflation in the past five years. Is he aware that the prices of goods in the shops, once the old reliables of alcohol, fuel and tobacco are removed, have not increased in the past five years, whereas the prices of services priced or regulated by Government have increased by 40%? I note the Minister indicated that his colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, has told the local authorities they must get their act together by reducing the burden imposed by commercial rates. Does he not agree that the first priority for Government in managing prices in its own sector is to get its act together? Does he accept that manufacturing, which has taken a price cut in the past five years, cannot survive if Government controlled sectors are so far out of line?

Will the Minister back up his statement that prices for products set by regulators are competitive when compared with prices in other countries? Gas is 50% more expensive and electricity much dearer than in the United Kingdom. On what grounds does he base the statement that the regulated prices set by the Minister and the regulators are competitive?

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