Kilcummin native and Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly has issued a fresh call to end the biannual clock change across Europe.

As clocks are set to move forward one hour tonight, the Kerry representative believes this should be the final time the practice occurs.

He is urging the Irish Government to use its upcoming EU Presidency to finally break the deadlock on the issue.

Kelly has led the European Parliament’s push for this reform for nearly seventeen years. He argues that the shift to brighter evenings is something the Irish public values for mental and physical health.

According to Kelly, the "grand stretch in the evenings" lifts the mood and encourages outdoor activity.

He described the twice-yearly switch as an outdated practice that no longer makes sense in a modern context.

The European Commission first proposed ending the change in 2018 after a public consultation showed 84 percent of 4.6 million citizens supported the move.

While the European Parliament backed the proposal in 2019, EU Member States have yet to reach a final agreement.

Kelly noted that a recent push by Denmark in late 2025 failed to resolve the matter, but he believes Irish leadership can provide the necessary political will.