asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will review the organisation and powers of the National Prices Commission with a view to permitting the commission to be more effective in helping to curb the spiral of price increases.

I do not accept the implication in the Deputy's question that the National Prices Commission as at present constituted are not effective in helping to curb the rate of price increases.

The commission are an advisory body and are widely representative of various interests including consumer interests. Their function is to keep under review the prices of commodities and the charges for rendering services and for carrying out work or processes and to advise me in relation to such prices and charges. All applications for price increases are referred by me to the commission for recommendation as to the appropriate level of increase which might be allowed.

In dealing with applications for price increases the commission are fully aware of the need to restrict increases to the absolute minimum. As their monthly reports show, not all increases considered by the commission are allowed. In some instances the increases sought are only partially allowed. In others the increases are disallowed.

I am satisfied with the way in which the commission are undertaking their work and I do not consider that a review of their organisation and powers is necessary.

Perhaps my question was wrongly phrased and should have suggested that the Government might re-organise themselves to stop price rises. In fairness to the National Prices Commission, they are doing all they can. When the commission were established we lived in a normal society but that is so no longer and the Government are using the National Prices Commission as an excuse for their own failure.

I must insist on questions. These are statements from the Deputy.

In view of this would the Minister not review their working in fairness to them and to the public who perhaps could be saved from disastrous price rises which the Government are doing nothing about at present?

It is objectively true to say that the present Government have done considerably more about controlling prices than their predecessors did.

Scéalaíocht.

In the three and a half year period up to November, 1976, during the period of office of this Government, prices were kept at slightly below the rate of increase which obtained in a very comparable economy, that of Britain. However, in the last similar period during which our predecessors were in office prices here rose by 6 per cent faster than they rose in Britain. Our performance in relation to that of a comparable economy in the period of office of this Government has been significantly better than both of the other economy and of our predecessors. This is the result of measures adopted by the Government, extending price control from the three commodities to which it applied at retail level when Fianna Fáil were in office to 24 commodities at present, instituting prosecutions for over-charging——

Tell that to the housewives.

——in over 3,000 instances during the period of office of this Government against ten prosecutions for over-charging when the previous Government were in office.