Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I have difficulty hearing with Senator White still speaking. My apologies to the Senator but I was on the point of saying that the idea of having an extra hour of daylight is under consideration in Britain. The British do not use the term "central European time" but refer to retaining "summer time" throughout the year. The additional hour of daylight has a clear benefit to the economy in terms of tourism, energy costs, road traffic accidents and in many other respects. A Bill to move Britain to central European time is before the House of Commons. The only reason Ireland has not made the transition to central European time, for which there is almost universal support, is that it would create a time gap between Dublin and Belfast. On that basis, let us ensure the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, who I understand has responsibility for the matter, informs his British counterparts that we are anxious to make this change because they will then follow us.