Many of the interest groups which the Government has said it will consult on how to curb inflation will be citing the contribution they claim they have already made to reducing rates.
The Irish Auctioneers and Valuers' Association will be accusing the Government of creating inflation through its recent property taxation proposals, the VHI will argue that it does not have control over its price increases and RTE will be lobbying for a significant rise in the television licence fee.
The ESB says it has no plans for any price increase. "As compared to the Consumer Price Index, electricity prices have fallen in real terms."
According to the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), car price inflation over the last five to six years has been less than 1 per cent per annum. "The only hiccup was the tax on cars in the 1998 budget," says its chief executive, Mr Cyril McHugh.
Mr Alan Cooke, of the IAVI, said he would be recommending the Government reverses the imposition, arising from the most recent Bacon report, of a 9 per cent increase in stamp duty on investment properties.
He is also seeking the reversal of decisions that impact on rents and warns that the £150,000 exclusion from stamp duty for first time buyers will merely establish a new selling price of £150,000. "What's happening in our market is inflation is being created, not prevented," he added.
The Construction Industry Federation will be emphasising the issue of capacity in the construction industry and the need to ensure that there are resources, particularly manpower, to deliver what the industry is being asked to do, according to Mr George Hennessey, director of economic affairs. "We need to ensure sufficient serviced land and investment in transport so the cost of getting to work is kept to an absolute minimum. We need to increase the supply side of what the industry can produce and minimise cost pressures in the industry," he said.
Mr Felix O'Regan, manager of the Irish Banks' Information Service, said that if invited to meet the Government, they would form a "think tank" representative of the 50 banks, including those in the IFSC, to agree a concensus. This would include bankers and economists, he said.
RTE's director of public affairs, Mr Kevin Healy, said the broadcaster had not yet decided on a figure for a licence fee increase. "Since 1986, we've had only one increase, in 1996, four years ago, from £62 to £70. That hasn't kept pace even remotely with inflation. As it stands, we're the second lowest in the EU. The BBC is now £120. It now represents only one-third of our revenue so we're looking for a substantial increase. I'm not sure what impact it has on the CPI. My belief is it's not a major element of it like putting up the price of cigarettes."
A spokeswoman for the Voluntary Health Insurance Board said: "People are consuming more high technology health care and the prices don't come down. You would nearly have to stop medical research to stop prices going up."
