Ireland’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 4.1% in September 2026, up from 3.7% in August, marking its highest level since January 2024. Price increases were broad-based, with notable rises in housing and utilities (9.5% vs 8.5% in August), restaurants and hotels (3.5% vs 3.4%), transport (7.5% vs 5.4%), food and non-alcoholic beverages (0.4% vs 0.1%), and alcoholic beverages and tobacco (2.6% vs 2.3%).
Inflation also picked up in furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (0.4% vs 0.3%), clothing and footwear (3.3% vs 3.1%), and information and communication (1.4% vs 1.3%). In contrast, price growth softened for recreation and culture (1.6% vs 1.7%) and for personal care, social protection, and miscellaneous goods and services (2.0% vs 2.9%), while remaining unchanged for health (1.8%) and education (8.9%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.2% in September, easing from a 0.7% increase in August.