The State's climate change watchdog has warned that Ireland remains "completely off course" to achieve its 2020 and 2030 climate change targets.
The Climate Change Advisory Council published its annual report, which examined data up to the end of 2017.
The report said that despite some sectoral reductions, overall greenhouse gas emissions increased by 1.7 million tonnes in 2017.
That is despite a goal to decrease emissions by one million tonnes a year.
A target had been set to cut Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020, compared to 2005 levels.
However, the council has estimated the reduction will be in the range of 5% in a "best case" scenario.
It said "a significant and sustained rate of emissions reduction" by 2.5% per year is required to meet the country's targets by 2050.
It added that "the continued failure to set out detailed pathways on the cost-effective route to decarbonising the Irish economy by 2050, is a major obstacle to progressing policy on climate change."
The climate change watchdog has called for carbon tax to be increased from the current €20 to €35 per tonne of carbon dioxide in the upcoming Budget, increasing to €80 per tonne by 2030.
There was a particular focus on the agriculture sector in the report.
The council said "it is vital that cattle numbers are reduced" as part of the efforts to cut emissions, adding that "it would be difficult to reach the 2030 target if the number of cattle are not reduced" from the national herd.
And it said "current afforestation rates are too low."
"There is the potential for a substantial reduction in agricultural emissions while at the same time safeguarding farm incomes", it added.
The council, an independent and statuary body, was established in 2016 to advise the Government on national policy relating to climate change.
It recommended the ending of peat-fired electricity generation in 2020 and it has called on the Government to "publish the detailed plan to achieve its commitment to end the burning of coal" at Moneypoint power station in Co Clare by 2025.
The council has welcomed the recent publication of the Climate Action Plan, but it said it has not had the opportunity to consider the plan in detail.
Council chairman Professor John Fitzgerald said it has "proposals for a wide range of measures and new governance arrangements, which would enable us to achieve our 2030 targets."
The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment has welcomed the publication of the Climate Change Advisory Council's annual review.
Richard Bruton said: "While the focus of the recently published plan has been on the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the Advisory Council’s report is a timely reminder that we must also ensure that appropriate consideration is given to embedding robust adaptation measures across the system."
