I move that the Bill be now read a Second Time.
The Bill provides for what is popularly known as "summer time all the year round". Its object is to bring the time observed in this country into line with that observed in Western Europe. The British Government have introduced a similar Bill.
If our own internal situation alone was in question, there would be no strong reason for adopting the proposal in the Bill. We are one of the three European countries that are wholly west of Greenwich and, accordingly, our "natural" time is behind that of Europe as a whole. The extension of summer time throughout the winter can have some disadvantages in that the normal working day will begin in darkness during some months of the year. We cannot, however, consider this country in isolation when dealing with the problem of time. The advantages of observing the same system as our close neighbours, with whom the great bulk of our international commercial dealings are done, are enormous and self-evident.
The views of interested organisations and individuals on this subject were invited several months ago when the British decision was known. The vast majority of the organisations, which included industrial and employers' organisations, chambers of commerce and semi-State bodies, were in favour of the adoption of the same system of time as Britain and Western Europe. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions indicated that it would not object to the adoption of that system. There was no marked response to the invitation from individual members of the public. About 130 letters were received from individuals, of which about 70 were in favour of the European system. In the circumstances, it seems fair to deduce that the weight of opinion is in favour of the Bill.
The Government have sought to interpret public opinion on this matter and to assess what the best interests of the country require. It seems to them that, despite some disadvantages, adoption of the same system of time as that observed in the rest of Western Europe is, on balance, the best course to follow.
The Bill, accordingly, provides for a new standard time, one hour in advance of Greenwich mean time, and for the repeal of the existing legislation on the subject of time. The Acts proposed to be repealed include the basic Statutes (Definition of Time) Act, 1880, which, as amended by the Time (Ireland) Act, 1916, makes Greenwich mean time the standard time in this country. The Summer Time Act, 1925, is also proposed to be repealed.
I should point out that a Government amendment to the British Bill proposes that it should run initially for a period of three years only. If at the end of that period the British decide to introduce a change, we shall have to look at our position again. Subsection (2) of section 1 of the Bill provides for the construction of the expression "summer time" in enactments. The Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1962, provides that licensed premises may remain open until 11.30 p.m. on week-days in the period of summer time and the provision in the Bill is intended to preserve the status quo in that regard when summer time as such is abolished by the new legislation. I commend this Bill to the House as a reasonable measure, taken after public opinion has been tested, and as one which has no party or political significance.