Daniel McConnell: Government faces a full-on farmer revolt if emissions issue is pushed too far

Coalition ministers are juggling the percentages but new carbon emission limits are likely to be set at 25% 'at the very maximum'

Agriculture is by far the largest emitter of climate-altering greenhouse gases in Ireland, at 37.5% of the total. File picture@ PA

Will it be 22%? Will it be 30%? Well, in truth it is likely to be neither of those. I am talking about the “extremely tense” discussions issue going on between Green Party leader Eamon Ryan and Charlie McConalogue, the Agriculture Minister, on how much the agriculture sector must reduce its carbon emissions.

As part of Government’s Climate Action Plan, which committed to a 51% reduction in overall emissions by 2030 and to zero emissions by 2050, it was agreed that targets for each sector would be set.