Ireland was the fifth most expensive EU state in 2013.

We are just after Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Luxembourg - with prices 20% above the EU average.

That is according to CSO statistics released earlier today, which also show Ireland had the smallest increase in inflation in the EU between 2009 and 2013.

Michael Kilcoyne, Chairman of the Consumer Association, said wages have not kept pace with such high prices:

It was also revealed today that Ireland had the highest proportion of young people in the EU in 2013.

The CSO says we had the highest fertility rate in the region - and the lowest divorce rate, at 0.6 per 1000 people.

Their 'Measuring Progress' report shows we also had the second biggest average primary school classes, while the proportion of the population aged between 25 and 34 that had completed third-level education was the third highest in the region.

The figures cover crime too, and show the number of kidnapping-related incidents jumped by more than half between 2008 and 2013, and sexual offences rose 43%.

Public order and similar offences dropped 41%, and controlled drug offences fell by a third.