The Department of Justice is to ask members of the public and interests groups whether or not Ireland should scrap the practice of Daylight Savings Time.

The decision to set up the consultation process was signed off by Cabinet today.

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan said he wanted to hear from stakeholders on the issues and he hoped people would engage with it.

It is expected the minister will report back on its findings in the new year.

The European Commission has recommended the abolition of the tradition of member states alternating between summertime and wintertime every year.

However, Mr Flanagan said the island of Ireland was unique in terms of having two jurisdictions and the possibility of having two different time zones was not one he would welcome.

Read more: The end of time in Ireland

The plan, which requires the approval of the European Council and the European Parliament, would mean the last mandatory change to summertime would take place on Sunday 31 March 2019.

Under Brexit proposals, Britain would leave the European Union on 29 March 2019.

The British government has said it has no plans to end the tradition of changing times.