I move:—
That Dáil Éireann hereby approves of the Summer Time Order made by the Minister for Justice under the Summer Time Act, 1925 (No. 8 of 1925).
The period of summer time is fixed at present by the Summer Time Order, 1926. Under that Order, summer time is not due to commence until Sunday, the 20th of April, and it is due to expire on Sunday, the 5th of October. The Summer Time Order, 1947, proposes that this year summer time should commence on Sunday, the 16th of March, and should not end until Sunday, the 2nd of November. In accordance with Section 3 of the Summer Time Act, 1925, this Order will not come into operation unless or until it has been approved by a resolution of each House of the Oireachtas.
As Deputies are no doubt aware, legislation has been introduced in the British Parliament to make a similar extension of the period of summer time in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The British legislation provides also for double summer time during the period from the 13th of April to the 10th of August. The Summer Time Order, 1947, does not provide for double summer time in this country and it is not the Government's intention to introduce legislation for the introduction of double summer time.
The purpose of the Order is to help in the conservation of fuel and to avoid the inconvenience which would arise from a number of changes of time between this country and Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The present fuel crisis is the worst experience since the beginning of the war, and I am sure everyone will agree that everything possible should be done to save fuel. The earlier introduction of summer time should result in a saving of fuel used in the production of gas and electricity for lighting purposes. It should also enable transport companies to save some fuel, as the working of goods trains in the dark involves the use of more coal owing to delay in shunting operations.
Changes of time in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, without corresponding changes in this country, cause considerable inconvenience for transport and Post Office communications. Each change involves new time-tables, and, in the case of railway services crossing the Border, it becomes very difficult to provide adequate local connections. If the Summer Time Order, 1947, is not approved, time-table changes for communications with Great Britain and Northern Ireland will be necessary on the 16th of March, when the British introduce summer time, on the 13th of April, when the British introduce double summer time, on the 20th of April, when summer time commences here in the ordinary way, on the 10th of August, when double summer time ends here, and on the 2nd of November, when summer time ends in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. If the Order is approved only two changes of time-table will be necessary—on the 13th of April, when the British introduce double summer time, and on the 10th of August, when double summer time ends.
