Eamon Ryan aiming to take one in five cars off the road by 2030

"We are going for it," Ryan said.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has said he is aiming to reduce the number of cars on Irish roads by 2030. The Minister made the comments following a report in The Irish Times regarding the Government's updating of its Climate Action Plan. The outlet stated that taking one in five cars off the road and cutting the cattle herd by 10% by 2030 are measures under consideration. Asked on Newstalk Breakfast on Monday (19 December) if this is actually being planned, Ryan responded: "Well, we've a whole range of changes we need to make our climate targets. "We'll have the Cabinet sub-committee tomorrow and then the full Cabinet discussing the plan on Wednesday and, all going well, I expect to publish it then." Describing the changes as "significant", Ryan stated that they will see each sector required to "step up to the plate".

"Agriculture much less than others. Agriculture is about a quarter of the emissions that have to be reduced," he added. "In transport, it's about half. In the likes of energy it's up to 75%. "So some sectors will have to do more than others, but every sector will have to play its part."

Asked specifically about the 10% cut on the cattle herd, Ryan would not confirm the figure, responding: "The key thing is that the emissions reduction must go down. "That's the figure. That's most vital." He later added: "There will be lower numbers of cattle, but there will be higher income for a whole variety of different farming groups." Questioned on the programme about how Ireland was going to manage taking one in five cars off the road by 2030, Ryan admitted that it would be "challenging". "We do need to switch towards much more public transport, much more active travel, but also reduce the need for travel," he explained.

"We're using things like changes that are happening in remote working, in town centre-first strategies, in building back in the centre of our cities so there's not necessarily everyone having to do a long commute. "That whole kind of 'everyone drives in five days a week and everyone drives home', that doesn't work. "It doesn't work on a climate basis. It doesn't work because of gridlocks. It doesn't work with the amount of time it takes. "A complete pivot in transport is what we need."

When presenter Shane Coleman questioned the likelihood of taking one in five cars off the road by 2030, Ryan responded: "All the sectors have got huge challenges. It's beyond compare but we are going for it. "The Climate Action Plan which is being set out, agreed hopefully by Cabinet on Wednesday, it's done on really detailed assessments of each sector. "It's done on scientific analysis of what's happening at present, what can we do to change and what would that lead to. "Yes, it shows we can do it. No one should underestimate the scale of that change and the challenge." Images via Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie