Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

Is the Taoiseach shocked that, as he leaves office, consumer inflation is at 5%, bearing in mind that when he came into office in 1997 he inherited an inflation rate from the outgoing Government of 1.5%? Does the Taoiseach agree that this rate of inflation is dangerous, damaging and disappointing for our economy and country, particularly as economic growth is now faltering in a range of areas? The Government made a fuss in recent years about the abolition of the groceries order but only the price of drink seems to have fallen in the meantime, with negative consequences for society.

In his time the Taoiseach has visited many supermarkets, if not to shop then to canvass, and I am sure he is aware that the vast majority of people who shop for families and push the supermarket trolley are women. They are angry at the exploitation of consumers and the fact that the Government is doing nothing to protect ordinary families from the price increases that are currently being experienced.

Is the Taoiseach aware of the rip-off, profiteering and exploitation being experienced by Irish consumers, particularly at the hands of British-based multiples converting sterling prices to euros? The mark up when prices are converted from sterling to euros can frequently be as high as 50% or 60%. Many surveys have been done in this regard recently and one in the Irish Daily Mail found that Gillette Mach Turbo razor blades, which the Taoiseach may use, sold for £11.99, which should be €15.17, but sold in Boots for €19.49. The price difference in this case is almost 30% greater than the exchange rate difference between sterling and euro. Furniture is more expensive and a wardrobe that might cost £1,500 will cost up to €2,500.

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