Irish citizens are going to have to suffer long dark winter afternoons for years to come.
The Government has confirmed it will not stop putting the clock back for an hour every October and that wintertime as it is known is here to stay. An EU directive had given EU member states the go-ahead to stick with the original summertime and to keep the time the same all year around, if they wish.
But Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the state is against it because it would mean two different time zones on the island of Ireland - and the republic would be an hour ahead of the six counties. She was responding to a request from Independent Galway TD Sean Canney for the Government to abandon wintertime, the Irish Mirror reports.
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Mr Canney said: "I am disappointed with the Government's attitude. I thought they might at least discuss and consider it.
"Every year I receive complaints from constituents about the long Winter and how they feel they are prisoners in their own homes from very early in the afternoon until the next morning. It is a very long lonely time and people can't get out for walks and do the things they would like to do."
"No one can understand why they want to have all the light in the mornings instead of the afternoons. I believe we need to have a serious discussion on the issue.
"I sincerely believe if we had more light in the afternoon during the winter months, it would benefit far more people."
Minister McEntee said EU member states are free to choose their standard time on the condition that they give 18 months' notice to the Commission.
She said Ireland is not in favour of the proposal and abandoning wintertime.
The Minister added: "A major consideration is it could lead to the imposition of two time zones on the island and a patchwork of time zones across the EU thereby causing unnecessary confusion in the Single Market.
"Ireland has supported the carrying out of a full impact assessment of this proposal prior to any final decision being taken at EU level. Discussions with member states on the proposal are ongoing."
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