By Staff Reporter

People across the European Union have been asked to have their say on whether or not they want to keep seasonal clock changes.

EU legislation on summer time came into effect in 1980, with the aim of making sure that all member states within the single market made the clock changes at the same time.

For the last 17 years, all countries put their clocks forward by one hour to ‘summer time’ on the last Sunday of March and to put it back to their ‘winter time’ on the last Sunday of October.

After a recent public consultation which gathered the views of citizens on the seasonal clock changes, the EU Commission has concluded that the majority of respondents were in favour of abolishing the twice-yearly clock change.

Now the question is being put directly to the people of Ireland in a consultation which closes on Friday 30 November.

Three choices are being given in the consultation, the Department of Justice says.

“Choosing summer time means brighter evenings, with darker mornings in the winter than we currently experience; and choosing winter time means brighter mornings, with darker evenings in the summer than we currently experience.”

The survey also gives the option of no change, and retaining the current system.

Justice says it is important for Irish residents to contribute to making the decision on what time zone the EU should adopt.

“Clocks are changed twice each year in order to cater for the changing patterns of daylight and to match the hours of available daylight to people’s daily activities,” Justice explained.

In addition, the survey asks for opinions on what would happen if this proposal were to give rise to different time zones between Ireland and Northern Ireland?

Justice says there would be particular challenges if the UK were to adopt a different position. “Any position adopted by Ireland will be informed by this important consideration,” the department added.

Individuals, businesses and organisations in Ireland and Northern Ireland can have their say by emailing timeconsultation@justice.ie or completing the survey via the Department of Justice website.

All submissions received will be subject to Freedom of Information legislation and may be published on the department’s website.