Taoiseach: People will not be forced to give up second car to meet climate targets

Micheál Martin said that he did not believe that mandating levels of car ownership would be feasible. Picture: Larry Cummins

Families will not be forced to give up second cars in order to meet climate change targets, the Taoiseach has said.

Speaking in Tokyo on Wednesday, Michéal Martin said that he did not believe that there would have to be a trade-off in the number of cars in order to meet sectoral emissions targets.

Sources told the Irish Examiner earlier this week that a reduction in the number of cars on roads is among the options that would have to be considered if a 30% reduction in carbon emissions from agriculture is not met.

The Government had previously confirmed that agricultural emissions will have to be cut by between 22% and 30% by 2030. The Taoiseach on Tuesday said these targets would be announced in the coming weeks.

However, he said that he did not believe that mandating levels of car ownership would be feasible. He added that while people will need to make changes to their behaviour to arrest climate change, they will have to make behaviour choices.

"I was surprised to see that emerging, I don't know who came up with that. It was the first I heard about that. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me in terms of how one would even go about doing that.

People have their personal freedoms and so on, but obviously, I think people collectively and individually have to make choices into the future.

"But there's no question of a trade-off. Each sector will have to come up with its ceilings and agreed figures, it will be very challenging, you know, agriculture, transport, enterprise, all key sectors here. But it's not a question of something like a second car."

The Taoiseach said that he believed that electric car infrastructure needed to be advanced quicker because it would mean cleaner cities.

Asked about any move to cut the national herd, Mr Martin said that he believed the herd would naturally stabilise. He said the "exponential growth" in the herd was due to the removal of milk quotas.

However, Mr Martin said that "farmers are up for this" in terms of tackling climate change. He said that new technology would play a part in the sector meeting its targets.

He said that even with a 22% cut, the sector would find it "challenging". He said that the exact figure would be announced soon.

Mr Martin also said that while Ireland will be involved in EU talks on energy supply, he does not foresee blackouts in the country this year.