Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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118. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if and when she will review the proposals contained in the Brighter Evenings Bill 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9958/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Brighter Evenings Bill 2012, a Private Members Bill sponsored by Deputy Thomas Broughan, had two general aims concerning:

- the preparation and publishing of a report on the costs and benefits of advancing clocks by one hour (thus allowing for brighter evenings and bringing Ireland into Central European Time); and

- allowing for a three year trial period when clocks would be advanced by one hour (and then permanently, if required).

During the course of the Dáil debate on Friday 5 July, 2013 my predecessor proposed that he would write to the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality and ask it to further consider the issue if Deputy Broughan would adjourn the matter. Deputy Broughan agreed with this proposal.

I can inform the Deputy that the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality considered the matters raised by the Brighter Evenings Bill and submitted a report to me. Having considered the evidence presented to it, including Ireland's close links with the United Kingdom, the Committee made the following recommendations:

The Committee recommends that, on the basis of the submissions received, the Minister keeps any proposed initiative on this matter under review and continues to give consideration to any possible benefits. The Committee further recommends that consideration of any trial be coordinated as a joint venture with the United Kingdom, should it consider a similar trial.

I have also been informed that the Committee was impressed by the benefits of introducing summer time for a longer portion of the year and submits this position in the event ofany future review of European legislation.

Having considered the report and noted the recommendations made I informed the Committee that my Department will continue to keep the matters raisedin the Brighter Evenings Bill under review including the changing of our time zone arrangements for atrial period as a joint venture with the United Kingdom.

I further informed the Committee that my Department will also keep under review the idea of extending the period of summer time, currently from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October each year, bearing in mind member states' EU-wideobligations in this regard.