WITH THE CLOCKS going forward at the weekend, one Dublin TD is still optimistic that his more radical ideas on time could still go ahead.

Independent Tommy Broughan has said that legislation he previously introduced to the Dáil that would make the evenings longer is still on the table, he has been told. 

Brighter evenings 

Under Broughan’s ‘Brighter Evenings Bill’ the overall aim would be to bring Ireland into line with the Central European Time Zone which operates in 16 of the 27 Member States of the EU.

Speaking today, The Dublin North-East TD, said:

I was delighted to receive a letter from Minister Fitzgerald recently informing me that although she has no plans to progress the Bill at this stage, she will keep it on the table and it will be revisited in the future along with any plans by the U.K to also change their time zone.

For Broughan’s plan to be implemented, it would involve a trial period of three years where the clocks are not put back in October of the first year but would then be put forward in the March of the following year.

A number of benefits are laid out for why it would be beneficial to change Ireland’s timezone, including improvements in road safety, benefits for the tourism and leisure sectors, a reduction in crime and reduced energy consumption due to less need for artificial light.

Daylight Savings Time 

Ireland currently operates on ‘Irish Standard Time’ in the summer months and on Greenwich Mean Time during the winter.

The use of Daylight Savings Time first came into use in countries across Europe during the First World War. Ireland adopted legislation to allow for Daylight Savings Time with the Standard Time (Amendment) Act of 1971. 

Daylight savings time has been synchronised across Europe since the 1980s.  

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