Those who feel we're paying too much for our goods in Ireland compared with other European countries might find interesting reading in Grafton Group's stellar interim results, published on Tuesday.

The builders' merchanting and DIY group said that its operating profit margin in Ireland was unchanged at 9.7 per cent in the six months to the end of June.

In the UK, meanwhile, the profit margin was a slimmer 6.5 per cent.

Executive chairman Michael Chadwick assures us that Irish customers are not being gouged for their paintbrushes and sun-loungers. The market here is just as competitive as in the UK. The chunky Irish profits were a factor of our building boom and the greater volumes going through its retail network here, he said.

It has nothing to do with the fact that Grafton subsidiaries Heiton Buckley and Chadwicks dominate the builders' merchanting market or that Woodies and Atlantic Homecare are the biggest DIY players in the country.