Apologies DJK, but I have to add my 2 cents worth.
What benefit to UK consumers is there in changing to schuko sockets?
Will the system be safer than BS1363?
I don't see any benefit to UK consumers, other than the fact you would not need to pack an adapter when going on holiday to Europe.
I don't believe that schuko is any safer than BS1363, with it's switched, shuttered, polarized sockets & sleeved pin plugs.
Any benefit would be to appliance manufacturers only.
The consumer would be faced with the prospect of replacing all their plugs & sockets once again, when it is only relatively recently that BS 546 was phased out.
The problem you describe with Europlugs in Ireland doesn't exist in mainland UK. Appliances are fitted with 13A plugs, except for shavers & electric toothbrushes which have BS4573 2 pin plugs.
Schuko sockets would probably be far more acceptable to Irish consumers due to your history of using the system & 220V supply, but I am certain that Brits would resist any change to the system, fused or not.
I am not by any means opposed to changing from our BS1363 system, but as I stated earlier in this thread, it would need to be a completely new system adopted by all industrialized countries. Also any new system would need to be safer than existing systems, & not dangerously interchangable.
