Section 3 gives the Minister for Justice power at any time to fix Summer time for this country. If he were in the future going to be a free agent I would have very little objection, seeing that we could not carry a vote against this Bill. But he and the present Government had their genesis in the fact that they were here to contest the position of England in this country. Now the position is that England will be the guiding light for the Minister, and it is from the time in England he must take the time for this country. I therefore very much disagree with this section.
DAIL IN COMMITTEE. - SUMMER TIME BILL, 1925—THIRD STAGE.
Question—"That Sections 1 and 2 stand part of the Bill"—put and agreed to.
Question proposed—"That Section 3 stand part of the Bill."
Will the Deputy say where that appears in the section?
Can the Minister explain the reason of the section? If my reading of it is wrong, and I leave it to the Dáil to judge whether it is or not, then what is the object of this section here? Is it not the fact that the Minister will make the time of this country agree with whatever time is fixed by the British?
By the French.
No, it is the British. Whatever time the British are going to fix, the Minister will automatically afterwards agree to make this country abide by that time. We are giving that power to the Minister, who owes his position to the idea of opposing British rule in this country. I put it to the Dáil on these lines, that this section ought not be passed.
Question put and agreed to.
Question—"That Sections 4 and 5 stand part of the Bill"—put and agreed to.
I wish to point out that there is not a House.
A House is not required in Committee. We are in Committee on this Bill.
Question—"That the Title stand part of the Bill"—put and agreed to.