I move:
That Dáil Éireann hereby approves the Summer Time Order, 1961, made by the Minister for Justice under the Summer Time Act, 1925 (No. 8 of 1925).
The Order provides that the period of Summer Time this year will be from 26th March to 29th October. If the Order were not made, the period would be from 16th April to 8th October. In effect, it lengthens the period of Summer Time by six weeks altogether— three weeks in the Spring and three weeks in the Autumn.
The period now proposed is that which has already been fixed for Britain and the Six Counties and it is to synchronise with them that we have made the Order. I do not have to stress that failure to make such synchronisation would cause serious inconvenience to the public, particularly to the business community.
I should perhaps explain that we have this synchronisation of Summer Time with Britain and the Six Counties every year, but this is the first year since 1952 that it has been necessary to make a special Order to provide for it, as the British have not, since 1952, departed from the ordinary period of Summer Time which is the same here as in Britain.
I recommend the Order for the approval of the House.
