An Irish MEP has vowed to have “another go” at scrapping daylight saving time. 

This Sunday, the clocks will bounce back by one hour - giving people an extra hour in bed. 

The tradition began in the First World War amid a severe coal shortage. 

The British Parliament hoped the change would mean more daylight when people were awake and reduce the amount of energy used by households and businesses. 

On The Hard Shoulder, Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly described the practice as “outdated” and said he hoped it would soon come to an end. 

“I never thought it made sense,” he said. 

“When I came here, there were some hearings where there were expert views and I couldn’t believe the negative effect it had on people in terms of sleep deprivation and mental health. 

“The so-called ‘energy savings’ weren’t there at all.” 

EU disagreement

In 2019, the European Parliament backed a motion calling for daylight savings to be abolished. 

Five-years on, Mr Kelly said he is determined “to have another go at it.” 

“It went to the Council, the member states, and when they all didn’t agree, it didn’t happen,” he said. 

“So, we’ll have to try again and see what the story is going to be.” 

A woman and an alarm clock. Picture by: Alamy.com.  bed

Since 2019, the United Kingdom has left the European Union - meaning it is no longer obligated to follow EU laws. 

Despite this, Mr Kelly is hopeful any change would apply to both Great Britain and Northern Ireland as well. 

“85% of the respondents also from the UK wanted to get rid of it,” he said. 

“The UK wouldn’t go deliberately out of tune with what’s happening in Europe - particularly with a new Government. 

“It might have happened under Johnson because he was capable of doing anything. 

“But I think a new Government will take a practical approach.”

The clocks will next be put forward on March 30th, 2025.

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Main image: A man waking up. Picture by: Alamy.com