With clocks to go forward one hour tomorrow, the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality has this afternoon called for further consideration of proposals to move to Daylight Saving Time time for a longer period of the year.
During a detailed public consultation conducted on the Brighter Evenings Bill 2012 undertaken last year, the Committee was impressed with the American model, which involves moving the clock forward by one hour on the second Sunday of March, and moving it back by one hour on the first Sunday of November.
The Committee wrote to the Minister for Justice and Equality Frances Fitzgerald in 2014 to outline the proposals.
Chairman of the Committee David Stanton TD says: “The Committee sees particular merit in exploring how Daylight Saving Time might take effect for a higher proportion of the year, as is the case in the United States. There are considerable potential benefits to the economy and wider society in terms of energy saving, road safety, economic activity, tourism and mental health. It means, in effect, that we could have been enjoying longer evenings three weeks ago. There appears to be scope to moving the clock forward by one hour on the second Sunday of March, and moving it back by one hour on the first Sunday of November. Such moves would require changes to European law and the Committee has urged that this position be explored in the event of any future review of European legislation.”
