Ireland second in EU high-price league
We have passed Finland and trail Denmark, where high taxes are blamed for high prices.
Latvia is the cheapest country in the union with goods and services costing just over half the EU average and about one-third what they cost in Ireland.
Consumer associations warned yesterday that Ireland was in an increasingly dangerous spiral of losing competitiveness while ordinary consumers struggle to make ends meet.
The annual survey of the 25 member states looked at costs under four different headings — energy, communications, recreation/culture and hotels/restaurants.
Ireland is the most expensive in the EU for communication services including landlines, mobile phones and mail which work out at 16% more than the union average.
The country’s restaurants and hotels are the second most expensive when it comes to overnight accommodation and meals at 28% over the average. Denmark was the most expensive at 49% above the average.
Energy costs including gas and electricity in Ireland are 17% higher than the EU average though the country came fifth in the list. The figure was well below the Danes who are the most expensive at 55% over the average but well above Britain where energy costs are 25% cheaper than the average.
Recreation and culture which mainly takes into account the cost of tickets to the theatre, cinema and sporting events are more reasonably priced with Ireland 7% above the average and sixth most expensive.
The cost of transport is the nearest Ireland comes to the EU average but the taxi, rail, bus and air travel is still 4% above the average which makes the country ninth most expensive.
Dermott Jewell, chief executive of the Irish Consumers’ Association, described the figures as disappointing and frightening.
“It is disappointing that we are at this level because it indicates that we are continuing to lose ground on competitiveness, and that is a dangerous zone,” he said.
Taking consumer services alone, Ireland is ranked third and second in consumer goods, but the overall rating for both categories is second.
