NI could face decision over clock changes

CLOCKS in Northern Ireland face being one hour out from either London or Dublin if Brexit negotiations fail, peers have warned.

Brussels is planning to end the practice of changing the clocks twice a year after research found it was unpopular.

It would mean EU countries had to choose to adopt permanent summer or winter time, leaving Belfast potentially having to decide whether to align itself with clocks in the Republic or the rest of the UK, peers warned.

They said failing to secure an exit agreement would mean rules on the matter in relation to Northern Ireland would “fall away”.

“If the UK then decided to maintain summertime arrangements, Northern Ireland (assuming the devolved institutions have been re-established) would have to choose between having a one-hour time difference for half the year either with the Republic of Ireland or with the rest of the UK,” a report by a Lords committee said. Although the changes are not due to come in until after the UK leaves on March 29 next year, the UK would have to adopt the measures during any transition period, peers said. Current rules mean every state has to switch to summer time on the last Sunday of March and switch back to winter time on the last Sunday of October but the European Commission proposals would stop the practice.

EU countries fall into three timezones — Greenwich Mean Time, Central European Time and Eastern European Time.