The Government has urged people in the towns and cities participating in European Car Free Day this week to leave their cars at home and use alternative means of transport.
The Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, said today that efforts to maintain air quality in Irish urban areas are being hampered by emissions from cars and other vehicles.
The number of private cars on Irish roads has increased by over 80 per cent since 1990, although Ireland is still significantly below the EU car ownership average.
Despite this, the progress being made in environmental protection is being slowed by the growth in overall vehicle numbers and vehicle journeys, he said.
Car Free Day, which takes place across Europe on Wednesday, September 22 nd, is an attempt to show motorists they have other options to using their cars.
"I would ask everyone to stop and think 'Do I need to use the car for this trip, or could I walk, cycle or take the bus instead?'" the Minister said.
"It should not be left to the EU, or myself as the Minister for the Environment or local authorities to make a difference," he said. "That is something everyone of us can, and should, do not just on Car Free Day but in our everyday lives."
One of the main thrusts of Car Free Day is to promote different transport options for school children. These include car pooling, walking, cycling, buses and the "Walking School Bus", which was introduced last year.
The towns participating are Balbriggan, Blanchardstown, Clare, Clonakilty, Cork, Dublin, Dungarvan, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick City and county, Navan, Portmarnock, Portrane, Sligo, Tralee, Tullamore, Waterford, Westport and Wicklow.
Public transport will be free in a number of these areas on the day.