asked the Minister for Justice the estimated annual cost to Irish businesses arising out of the failure of the European Community to achieve agreement on common dates for summer-time arrangements; and if he will furnish details of the main obstacles and objectors to the fixing of common dates.
Written Answers. - Summer-time Arrangements.
191.
I am not aware that any attempt has been made to produce costings of the kind referred to in respect of this or any of the other EEC countries. The proposal that there should be common dates among the member states for what in our terms would be the change from standard time to winter-time and back again is still under discussion. The proposal raises difficulties for a number of member states. Some states have links in the matter of the system of time with states outside the Community. Some states would have to legislate in order to be able to accept the proposal. One state has reservations about the appropriateness, for it, of the period of summer-time proposed.