I move:—
That Dáil Éireann hereby approves of the Summer Time Order, 1950, made by the Minister for Justice under the Summer Time Act, 1925 (No. 8 of 1925).
The purpose of the Order is to extend the date of the termination of summer time this year from 8th October to 22nd October, so as to make our period of summer time coincide with the period fixed for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Deputies will recollect that similar Orders have been made in recent years to synchronise our period of summer time with the period fixed for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Prior to the war, the need for such Orders did not arise, as the same period of summer time was fixed on a permanent basis here and in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Since the beginning of the war, the British have fixed different summer time periods from time to time and generally we have made corresponding changes. Whether this Order is approved or not, the Summer Time Act, 1925 will continue to operate and we will have summer time here from 16th April. The only question at issue is the date on which summer time should end. If the Order is not approved, it will end on 8th October, in accordance with the Summer Time Order of 1926; if the Order is approved, summer time will continue until 22nd October and end on the same date as in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
I am sure that every Deputy will appreciate that a difference of time as between here and Great Britain and Northern Ireland for a period of a fortnight would cause considerable inconvenience for transport undertakings and post offices, and I hope for that reason the House will approve the Order. I appreciate that there are some Deputies who object to the summer time system, but that question is not in issue now. As I have explained, whether this Order is approved or not, summer time will operate this year, and all I am asking the House to do is to approve an extension of 14 days in the period of its operation, that is, 14 days at the end of the period.