Written answers

Thursday, 12 February 2015

Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Economic Competitiveness

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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34. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way in which the Action Plan for Jobs will assist in improving competitiveness in the retails sector in view of an European Central Bank study, which indicated that Irish grocery prices, excluding valued added tax, were considerably above the European Union average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6097/15]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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At the end of 2014, the European Central Bank published a Expert Group technical paper which looked how inflation outcomes differ when various different technical indices are used (ECB Working Paper Series No. 1754 of December 2014 refers). The paper compares the effects and variations of using nine different index formulae when applied to grocery product categories in ten Euro area countries. The paper is not designed to be a comparison of grocery prices across EU or Euro area countries. The Consumer Price Index figures for December 2014, published in January by the CSO, show that Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages fell by 2.6% on average year-on-year. Prices decreased across a range of products such as meat, vegetables, bread and cereals.

The 2015 Action Plan for Jobs places an emphasis on supporting sectors in the domestic economy, including the Retail sector. The Action Plan contains a number of measures to support the sector, building on the work undertaken in 2014 by my own Department and other Government Departments. Actions to be taken in 2015 which will contribute to the competitiveness of the sector include the continued roll-out of Trading On-Line Vouchers to 2,000 businesses, examining the options to enhance the skills profile of the sector, and a review of the 2012 Forfás report on business licences with a view to identifying further actions which can be taken to reduce the administrative burden on the Retail sector.

Through the Retail Consultation Forum, which is chaired by the Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash, T.D., we will continue to identify actions that can be taken to help improve competitiveness and support increased employment in the sector.

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