FF-PD coalition accused of continuing to fuel inflation

Fine Gael has accused the Government of continuing to fuel inflation and of failing to heed warnings about the matter over the past year or so.

Figures released by the Central Statistics Office today showed that prices increased by 0.3% last month, but the annualised inflation rate actually fell to 2.1%.

Fine Gael deputy leader Richard Bruton said the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition was directly responsible for many of the price increases and was doing nothing to address the matter.

"Of the top 10 movers of prices in the last 12 months, the top four are directly created by Government: water supply and refuse; hospital service; electricity and gas, and education," he said.

"These are areas where the Government needs to get its own house in order and there's been no evidence that the Government is getting to grips with being an efficient provider of services."