Farmers will not have to make any cuts to their cattle herds as part of emissions targets set out by the government, according to the Agriculture Minister.
It coms after a reduction of 25% for the agriculture sector was agreed by government ministers following extensive talks this week.
There has been criticism of the decision from both farmers and environmental experts.
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue says farmers aren't obliged to make reductions in their livestock, but some may decide to do so:
"Where individual farms decide to do that, obviously if they bring additional land into forestry or additional land into anaerobic digestion, or solar, that land then wouldn't be used for its previous purpose which would be if it was livestock, for example. So on a particular farm, you could see a reduction in livestock. So there would be some impact there from farmers taking up these new those new options."
