Renewed efforts underway to end daylight saving time
Clocks will go back one hour on Sunday, October 25 despitte the fact there are proposals in the EU to scrape the ritual. File Photo.
Ireland South MEP Sean Kelly said he is continuing to fight for “an extra hour of daylight in the evening”, despite setbacks for EU proposals to scrap the bi-annual clock change.
Mr Kelly says that despite opposition, the seasonal clock change has “outlived its usefulness” and puts additional pressures on farmers and those with mental health difficulties.
“It was introduced 100 years ago during WW1 to conserve energy, because it was a time when energy was scarce and there were difficulties with lighting," he told the Irish Examiner.
“Now, things have moved on; research has shown that seasonal clock change is having a detrimental effect on people who are prone to depression, sleep deprivation and those who have autism.
“More animals are killed on the roads, and there is an impact on farmers milking cows as well, so the time has come to end it.”
As usual, clocks will go back one hour on Sunday, October 25.
But the Co Kerry MEP says, “I don’t see any positives in continuing the process, it brings winter in overnight, and postpones summer for a month every spring.
“For elderly people in particular it makes the nights extremely long and lonely for many of them.
“An extra hour of daylight in the evening would be far more helpful and beneficial to them.
Mr Kelly has written to European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen urging her to reignite efforts to scrap the bi-annual clock change.
Following a resolution from the European Parliament in February 2018, and an EU wide consultation last summer, in September 2018 the EC published a proposal to abolish seasonal clock change from 2021.
While the European Parliament voted in favour of the proposal in March 2019, this is not a final decision.
Negotiation with the Council of Ministers is still necessary and final approval will be a co-decision of the EU Parliament and the Council of Ministers.
Mr Kelly said the issue was one that he has been working on for a number of years and understood it to be “over the line”.
However, a number of member states - including Ireland - have since decided not to accept the EC’s proposals on the matter.
“Some member states have dug their heels in on the issue and wouldn’t budge,” said Mr Kelly.
“Now, there is a new EU Commission and so nobody knows what the position is going to be.
“Of course we have Covid-19 and Brexit to deal with so it’s difficult to get the ending of seasonal clock changes on the agenda.
“But we have to move along with everything as best we can; it’s an issue that affects people’s health, energy levels and sleep patterns and is one that needs to be examined through objectivity and practicality.”
Meanwhile, in July of last year, the then Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan announced that Ireland would oppose the EU proposal to end seasonal clock change.
He said the proposal was not straightforward and would have profound implications on the island of Ireland if two different time zones were to exist.
