Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 446: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on proposals to change the current daylight saving time system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9384/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Each year, usually around the time that clocks go forward in March and go back in October, the issue of our summer/winter time arrangements is raised in media or, as in the current case, through the Parliamentary Question system.

Of late, the proposal attracting most attention in relation to this matter concerns the Daylight Saving Bill, a Private Members' Bill before Parliament in the United Kingdom , which, if it became law, would require the British Government to conduct a cross-departmental analysis of the potential costs and benefits of the advancing time by one hour for all, or part of, the year. If this analysis found that a clock change would benefit the United Kingdom, the Bill requires that the Government initiate a trial clock change to determine the full implications. I further understand that such analysis would include a breakdown, so far as possible, of the costs and benefits for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, on 20 January, 2012 the Report Stage of the Bill was debated in the House of Commons when the Bill was deemed to have run out of time and fallen.

Given that European Union Directive 2000/84/EC results in all EU member states starting and ending summer time simultaneously in order that time differences between member states remain constant throughout the year, this would impose a limitation on the discretion available to member states in this area.

I have no plans at this time to change the present time zone arrangements or to conduct a cross-departmental cost benefit analysis of advancing time by one hour all year round for Ireland. However, officials of my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs are keeping a close watch on the issue and should the position I have outlined change I will review the situation.