A CARBON tax which would add 5c to the price of a litre of petrol would help to promote alternative fuel use and compensate low-income families hit by rising energy costs.

DISTANCE-BASED road charges are the best way to solve Ireland’s transport problems, the Government’s sustainable development adviser has urged.

The Government is being asked to combat environmental damage by replacing motor taxes like VRT with a radical new charge.

Comhar - the Sustainable Development Council - has welcomed today’s Budget announcement that Motor Tax and VRT will be altered to favour cars with relatively low levels of carbon dioxide emissions.

IRELAND’S last National Sustainable Development Strategy was a failure and our challenge is to set and meet real targets, according to the Comhar, the sustainable development council.

Meeting Ireland's climate-change targets while ensuring economic growth will come under the spotlight today at a major conference in Dublin.

People who drive gas-guzzling cars or put numerous bathrooms in their homes should be charged for the environmental impact, a Government advisor insisted today.

New measures to help Ireland meet targets on climate change have been announced by the Government today.