Feargal Quinn (Independent)

We need to be very careful in the words we use on this occasion.

Next week we shall all be sad at the loss of the extra hour of daylight in the evenings. I am sorry for repeating myself, but this is an old topic of mine. One of the reasons we have not changed is that the British have not changed and we do not want to have different times in Dundalk and Newry or Dublin and Belfast. The good news, however, is that it was announced this morning that a Bill would be introduced in the British House of Commons on 3 December to do exactly what I have been proposing for 15 years, that is, that we follow central European time and have that extra hour of daylight every evening the whole year around. The benefits will be immense and I hope this will be the last time we will put back the clock. I also hope the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, is paying attention to what is happening not just here but also in Britain and that we follow whatever changes are made there. Senator Harris said there was good news coming through. Let us ensure in this case that it will be good news rather than bad.