Report on the Cost of Living in Ireland, June 1922

This listening experience brings a rare glimpse into Ireland’s early days of self‑government, when a newly formed Ministry of Economic Affairs set out to measure how everyday life had changed since the pre‑war era. The report, compiled by a cross‑department committee, details the painstaking collection of prices for staple foods, fuel and housing, then weighs those figures against household spending patterns to calculate an overall cost‑of‑living index. Listeners hear the stark numbers: an 85 percent rise in expenses for a typical wage‑earning family between July 1914 and June 1922, and the broader economic concerns that emerged from the data.

Beyond the raw statistics, the narrative reveals the challenges of gathering reliable information amid the turmoil of Dublin’s recent unrest, and hints at the government’s intent to monitor inflation every three months. As the committee explains its methodology and notes puzzling regional price disparities, the report opens a window onto the practical worries of a nation rebuilding its economy from the ground up.