A member of the Climate Change Advisory Council says the impending carbon tax increase should be deferred.
Environment Minister Eamon Ryan is due to unveil a package of new measures to deal with the cost of living next week.
It will be backed up with a public awareness campaign which will reportedly include advice to take shorter showers, cut out one car journey a week and turn down the thermostat on the central heating.
A rise in carbon tax is due to be introduced on May 1st.
But Cara Augustenborg, Professor of Environmental Policy at UCD and member of the Climate Change Advisory Council, says it should be delayed.
"I'm generally in favour of carbon tax because it gets it gets people to change their behaviour as they see that the cost of carbon is going to increase, they may be investing in fossil fuel free technologies
"Because we're seeing that behavioural change now in response to the energy crisis, I think it makes sense to defer this current carbon tax increase."
