In the British budgets only items of which the price changes could be accurately measured are understood to have been included.
In our Summary all "Sundries" shown in the budgets are included. But as the price change of only about one-third of them could be directly measured it was assumed that the change in the level of the prices of the remaining sundries varied in the same proportion as the change in the other four groups combined.
(D) Results of Different Weighting.
Calculations were also made whereby a final figure could be arrived at by different methods, and the following table shows results obtained:—
Percentage Increases arising by using British Weights.
| Different Methods. | Percentage Increase in Cost of Living in Ireland. | ||
| July 1914 to March 1922. | July 1914 to June 1922. | ||
| (a) | By applying British Weights in 1914 to the Committee's Irish Prices of all commodities in 1914 and 1922 the percentage increase in the Cost of Living would be | 84.8 | 80.2 |
| (b) | Taking Irish Prices for Food in 1914 as collected by the British Board of Trade, but the Committee's Prices for all other commodities in 1914 and all commodities in 1922 the increase would be | 76.6 | 71.0 |
| (c) | Taking British Prices for food in the "United Kingdom" in 1914, but the Committee's Prices for all other commodities in 1914 and all commodities in 1922 the increase would be | 72.1 | 67.3 |
| Prices obtained entirely on Irish weights and prices, and recommended for adoption are | 91.4 | 85.2 | |
As regards this table it should, however, be pointed out that the commodities selected by us are not in all respects identical with those selected by the British authorities and that the application of the weights, although broadly speaking correct, could not be accurate in every detail.
It only remains for us to express our gratitude for all the assistance given to us by the officials of the Departments already mentioned and by the staff assisting in the actual compilation. Our thanks are especially due to Mr. C. J. Barry, of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction and to the National School teachers who furnished such excellent budgets.
(Signed) John Hooper, Chairman.
T. K. Bewley.
T. Mac Giolla Padraiᵹ.
Stanley Lyon.