Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Given the Taoiseach's increasingly busy schedule, he probably does not get much time for pushing shopping trolleys around the supermarkets in Tullamore, but I want to raise with him the problem of rising prices. I will focus on two aspects in particular, the first of which is the rip-off of Irish consumers by British retailers with shops located in Ireland.

Last weekend, The Sunday Business Post carried a survey — one of a series published in recent times — which shows that the prices charged in the Irish branches of British retail outlets are up to 50% higher than those charged in their UK shops. The survey provided details in respect of a number of British retailers — Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Argos, Laura Ashley etc. — that have branches in Ireland. These higher prices are being charged despite the fact that the euro has strengthened against sterling. The euro is now worth 80p sterling. At one stage, it was valued below 60p sterling. In such circumstances, one would have expected that the prices charged in the Irish branches of British retail outlets would have fallen. Instead, they are much higher than those charged in the UK. For example, a leading brand of detergent costs the equivalent of €12.50 in a British branch of Tesco while it costs €18.89 in an Irish branch. In the case of Marks & Spencer, a pair of shoes priced at the equivalent of €44 at a British branch costs €55 euro at its Irish branches. The prices charged by Argos at its Irish branches in respect of electrical items are 20% higher than those it charges in the UK. What is happening in respect of this aspect of pricing is inexplicable.

The second matter to which I wish to draw the Taoiseach's attention — the position in this regard is also inexplicable — is the price of diesel.

See this speech in context