(Cavan): In the first place I wish to thank the Minister for agreeing to take the Bill at this time to enable us to consider the implications of the amendment on the licensing laws. I notice that when dealing with the 1968 Bill the then Minister also dealt with the licensing laws and I think it is correct to say that he made special provision for the opening of public houses. I understand that at the present time public houses open from mid-April to mid-October until 11.30 p.m. and from October to April to 11 p.m. Of course when we have one time all the year round, no question arises. That is the position at present. Under the Bill as drafted at the moment, if we are going to have summer time from mid-March to the end of October and public houses will have late opening from mid-April until early October, the point then is that during the month of October there will be non-synchronisation, if that is the proper way of putting it, between summer time and the opening of pubs. We think the Minister should amend the proposals to put back the clock so as to synchronise it with the licensing laws. In other words, what I am trying to get across to the Minister is that public houses should close at 11 p.m. on the same date as summer time ceases. That is the point.
Committee on Finance. - Standard Time (Amendment) Bill, 1971: Committee Stage.
There are two points I should like to make in reply to what Deputy Fitzpatrick says. One is that the period he mentioned for the longer opening of public houses is correct. There would be a difference of approximately a month at the spring end of the year, and of three weeks in the autumn. It was implicit in what Deputy Fitzpatrick said that this never happened before. That is not so. Under the 1960 Intoxicating Liquor Act, the four months—June to September, inclusive —were fixed for the longer opening and at that time the period of summer time was about seven and a half months. In fact it was the period specified in the 1926 Order. No difficulty arose in that respect at that time and since only a period of a few weeks is involved now and since there is no demand from the publicans for an extension, I cannot take it on myself to make a change. However, I think the point would, in any case, be really more appropriate to a Licensing Bill.
(Cavan): It may very well be that the publicans do not appreciate the position. All I would suggest is that the Minister should think about this before the Bill is taken in the Seanad. If he considers an amendment to be necessary, I shall be satisfied.