Kerry TD suggests SUVs should be banned in Eamon Ryan's Dublin constituency

'It’s very easy to shout from the rooftops when you’re above in a Dublin constituency, about stuff that will affect people 300km away,' says Brendan Griffin

Kerry TD Brendan Griffin called Eamon Ryan's suggestions as 'completely hare-brained'. File picture: Julien Behal

A senior Fine Gael TD has launched an attack on Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, suggesting that SUVs be banned in the environment minister's constituency of Dublin Bay South.

It came after the Irish Examiner reported that senior Government sources warned that a reduction in the number of cars on the country's roads, including the second family car, could be among the more radical measures that would be considered if higher emissions targets for agriculture are not met.

Kerry TD Brendan Griffin described such a measure as “completely hare-brained” and suggested that a ban on all cars in Dublin, which has adequate public transport links, would never be considered.

"It’s very easy to shout from the rooftops when you’re above in a Dublin constituency, about stuff that will affect people 300km away,” he said.

Mr Ryan is to hold talks with Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue on Wednesday in a bid to reach agreement on carbon reduction target for farmers.

An agreement is not expected this week, meaning it could go down to the wire if targets are to be hammered out in time for next week's Cabinet meeting.

Mr Ryan previously said he would be seeking a 30% reduction in carbon across agriculture. Mr McConalogue, as well Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael backbenchers, are in favour of a reduction which is closer to the lower limit of 22%.

Mr McConalogue said the issue should not become an argument between farmers and urban dwellers.

He said "a lot of progress" had been made in recent weeks and the key objective is to arrive at a threshold that "enables farmers to continue that massively important core work they do, with less emissions".

Targets will be challenging

Mr Ryan admitted that setting targets across all sectors, and not just agriculture, will be challenging.

He suggested that farmers could introduce anaerobic digestion systems to produce gas as a way of reducing emissions but also gaining an extra source of income.

He said this form of gas production has now become more viable given the dramatic increase in gas prices in recent months.

"We do need to stop relying on imported fossil fuels and where we can produce it locally, then that makes sense," Mr Ryan said.

He said that Irish people want to play their part and are demanding greener methods of food production.

"Government is agreed we meet our climate targets, we're going to follow the science. Government has agreed that what we have to do is going to be good for family farming. We're not going to undermine that real strength in rural Ireland."

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Ireland will have to ensure it is efficient in the production of food but that every sector will have to contribute to the targets and deliver on them.

Speaking in Japan, Mr Martin said: "I was very taken by remarks by John Kerry who said that our children's children are going to feel the worst impacts of climate change. 

"We can help them avoid the worst impacts — not the impact of it, there will be an impact from climate change — but the worst impacts of it, if we move now and get measures in place."