The EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) for Ireland is estimated to have increased by 6.3% in the 12 months to April 2023 and increased by 0.3% since March 2023.
This compares with HICP inflation of 7% in Ireland in the 12 months to March 2023 and an annual increase of 6.9% in the HICP for the Eurozone in the same period.
Looking at the components of the flash HICP for Ireland in April 2023, energy prices are estimated to have fallen by 1.3% in the month and risen by 12.1% over the 12 months to April 2023.
Food prices are estimated to have increased by 0.5% in the last month and are up by 12.8% in the last 12 months.
The HICP excluding energy and unprocessed food is estimated to have risen by 5.3% since April 2022.
Eurostat will publish flash estimates of inflation from the EU HICP for the Eurozone for April 2023 on 02 May 2023.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the official measure of inflation for Ireland and is published monthly by the CSO. The CPI release for April 2023 will be published on 11 May 2023 and the final results of the HICP for Ireland for April 2023 will be published as part of the CPI release. The HICP is an index of consumer prices that has been harmonised to allow comparisons across Eurozone countries. The CSO compile the HICP flash estimates and final results for Ireland and submit those to Eurostat who then compile the Eurozone estimate and publish that along with the results for the countries within the Eurozone. While the final HICP results for the Eurozone are usually published by Eurostat around the middle of the month following the reference month, flash estimates are issued around the end of each reference month.
The Eurostat publication of flash estimate data can be found on the Eurostat website at 10am on 02 May 2023: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/16662671/2-02052023-AP-EN.pdf/449813c2-40a5-58e3-8019-27a58c973445?version=1.0&t=1682959566381. Eurostat are expected to publish the final HICP results for the Eurozone for April 2023 at 10am on 17 May 2023.
The flash estimates of HICP have been published for some countries within the Eurozone by Eurostat each month since January 2019. Ireland has been included in the publication of the country breakdowns of the flash estimates process since November 2019.
Please note that these flash HICP estimates are subject to revision when the final results are published. For 24 of the 41 months since November 2019 when the CSO’s flash estimate has been published by Eurostat, there was no difference between Ireland’s flash estimate and final result of the HICP. There was a difference of 0.1 percentage points for 15 of the months while one month in 2020 had a difference of 0.2 percentage points and another had a difference of 0.3 percentage points.
Advisory Note: The HICP excluding Energy and Unprocessed Food was initally incorrect. It has been updated at 11.30am on 28 April 2023 to the correct figure of 5.3% for April 2023.
| Anthony Dawson | (+353) 21 453 5521 |
|---|---|
| cpi@cso.ie |
-- ENDS --
Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (28 April 2023) published the flash estimates of inflation from the EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) for Ireland for April 2023. Eurostat will publish the figures for the whole of the Eurozone, including Ireland, on 02 May 2023.
Commenting on the data published today, Anthony Dawson, Statistician in the Prices Division, said: “The latest flash estimate of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), compiled by the CSO, indicates that prices for consumer goods and services in Ireland are estimated to have increased by 6.3% in the past year and risen by 0.3% since March 2023. Looking at the components of the flash HICP in Ireland for April 2023, energy prices are estimated to have decreased by 1.3% in the month and are up by 12.1% since April 2022. The HICP excluding energy and unprocessed food is estimated to have risen by 5.3% since April 2022.
Food prices are estimated to have increased by 0.5% in the last month and are up by 12.8% in the last 12 months. Transport costs fell by 0.9% in the month and are down by 2% in the 12 months to April 2023.
The corresponding rate for the Eurozone will be published on 02 May 2023. These flash estimates are subject to revision when the final HICP results are published next month (See Editor’s Note below).”