The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment has been slammed after a report revealed Ireland's emissions increased by 3.5% in 2016.

The Green Party is urging Minister Denis Naughten to "get real" about climate change.

Emissions from transport rose by 3.7% in 2016 and emissions from the Irish energy sector also rose, seeing a 6.1% rise during 2016, according to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan said: "The Government says it wants to make the change to a cleaner economy but they are doing nothing to make that switch happen. Our transport emissions are rising fast because we are not funding public transport, cycling and walking. In our energy policy we are continuing to burn coal and peat as if there is no tomorrow. This is going to have to change. We cannot sign up to a green future on the international stage and keep burning everything here at home. The figures released today show the impossible contradiction in our Government's position.

-- Advertisement --

"The EPA is like Cassandra, fated to be ignored by the Government. Every year it records our emissions increasing when we promised to reduce them. Yet again we record a massive increase in our annual greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, the government continues to avoid actions to transition to a low carbon economy, as they are legally required to do. Instead, to our national embarrassment, their efforts are going in to trying to avoid fair targets for 2030."

(CD/LM)