Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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91. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will consider ending the daylight savings and biannual changing of the clock; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6133/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, Winter time begins at 1:00 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on the last Sunday in October every year when clocks are put back by one hour. Winter time ends at 1:00 a.m. GMT on the last Sunday in March of the following year when clocks are put forward one hour, signalling the start of summer time.

These arrangements are set out in the Winter Time Order 2001 which gives effect to European Union Directive 2000/84/EC and means that all EU member states start summer time simultaneously.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality considered this in the context of the Brighter Evenings Bill and submitted a report to me in December 2014. The Committee recommended that this matter should be kept under review and that consideration of any trial be coordinated as a joint venture with the United Kingdom, in the event that the UK would consider a similar trial. The Committee was impressed by the benefits of introducing summer time for a longer portion of the year and recommended this position be put forward in any future review of European legislation.

Having considered the report and noted the recommendations made, my Department continues to keep the matter under review, including the question of a joint trial with the United Kingdom. However, particularly in light of the current context arising from the UK's decision to exit the European Union, I have no immediate plans to pursue this at the present time.