The cost of goods and services has increased slightly during the past year.

According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), prices on average were 0.3% higher in September, compared to September 2013.

The biggest rise was in education, where prices increased by 4.5%.

While the cost of alcohol and tobacco (4.1%), restaurants and hotels (2.8%) and miscellaneous goods and services (2.5%) also rose.

But the price of clothing and footwear, food, household furnishing, and transport all decreased during the past year.

The CSO says restaurants and hotels increased mainly due to higher prices for alcohol, hotel rooms and eating out.

The increase to miscellaneous goods and services was attributed to higher health and motor insurance premiums, and the increased costs associated with the local property tax.

While the rise in alcohol and tobacco was due to higher prices for alcohol in off licences and supermarkets, and the higher cost of tobacco.

However, the CSO says during the past month consumer prices have actually decreased 0.2%.

This compares to a decrease of 0.1% recorded in September of last year.

The CSO says the most significant monthly price changes were falls in transport (1.8%), restaurants and hotels (0.4%), food and non-alcoholic beverages (0.4%), recreation (0.4%) and household equipment (0.4%).

While there were increases in clothing and footwear (3.2%), housing, water, electricity and gas (0.3%) as well as alcohol and tobacco (0.3%).