The consumer price index rose by 2.2pc in the year to April, driven by rising grocery prices and insurance costs.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has indicated there could be cost curtailment for certain public services in the next Budget, while also warning against any expectation of universal measures to offset renewed inflation.
Today’s News in 90 seconds – 9th May 2025
“The ministers of finance and public expenditure, myself and the Tánaiste, we’ve all ruled out a specific cost-of-living package in advance of the Budget,” Mr Martin told the Irish Independent in Brussels.
“However, it’s early days yet. Obviously there are tax measures that we’ve been consistently addressing, reducing the burden of taxation over the last number of years.
“Now and then, there are specific targeted measures we want, in respect to disability, for example, which I’ve been very clearly prioritising as a key objective of government, and also child poverty.
“Those two are key issues, but also then in terms of making sure that we can enable people to cope.”
He said the inflation figure of 2.2pc for April was “significantly down on the levels of inflation we were experiencing when we did have to bring in cost-of-living packages” against soaring price rises caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and supply-chain issues following the pandemic.
Mr Martin said these were “probably the most generous in Europe at the time, relative to what other member states could do”.
He spoke of bring some of the measures into the mainstream, “not just in terms of social protection, but elsewhere”, adding that such would be of benefit to people “across the board”.
“We did, for example, some things on costs. The Vincent de Paul and others would tell you that the free (school) books scheme has had a very significant impact. That’s a mainstream measure now, and has been particularly important in around the August/September period, for example.
“Hot school meals is another mainstream measure that has an impact on many families and young children, with pupils getting access to decent food.
“And we did a lot on travel as well, which is mainstreamed in terms of lower fares for everybody. So that’s what I mean.”
Official figures yesterday confirmed that food prices were up by 3.1pc in the year to April.
The cost of dairy products continues to surge. Butter, cheese and milk prices have all risen at multiples of the overall rate of inflation. The price of a pound of butter has risen by close to €1 over the past year to an average of €4.69, a surge of more than 26pc.
There were price increases in April for a pound of butter 97c. Irish cheddar per kilogram is 79c more expensive.
Two litres of full fat milk has gone up by 27c, and an 800g loaf of brown sliced pan is 2c dearer.
Higher rents were recorded too, along with an increase in the cost of electricity, and services for the maintenance and repair of homes.
Earlier this week, Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers said that any targeted assistance measures would now come through the Social Protection system, with no recourse to universal benefits –such as Child Benefit, for example, which goes to all families with children.
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