FG blames Govt policy for rising inflation

Fine Gael has blamed Government policy for pushing up Ireland's inflation rate again last month.

Figures released by the Central Statistics Office put the annual rate for the 12 months to the end of November at 4.8% and economists believe this will climb to around 6% early next year due to Budgetary measures announced by the Government last week.

Government-sanctioned rises in ESB charges and the TV licence fee are due to come into force in the coming months.

Fine Gael spokesman Richard Bruton said the areas showing the highest cost increases in the past year were health, education, transport and energy, where the Fianna Fail-Progressive Democrats coalition has imposed higher charges across a range of services.

"Instead of trying to moderate inflation, the Government is actually fuelling inflation and causing real problems for the coming years," he said.