Figures released by the Revenue Commissioners show that a total of 22,252 cars were registered during the first 10 days of 2007, a rise of almost 20% on the same timeframe last year. While the figures represent yet another bumper January for the motor industry, green campaigners have warned that the huge boom in car sales is causing unnecessary damage to the environment.

Cars with large engines are proving popular with motorists, with sales of cars with an engine size greater than 1900cc increasing by one-third compared to last year.

Car sales have risen every year this decade, and have soared by over 50% in just three years, climbing from just over 14,000 in 2004 to over 22,000 this year. The sale of cars with an engine size greater than 1900cc has risen by over 100% during the same timeframe.

Green Party environment spokesman, Ciarán Cuffe, said the figures showed the need to implement tax breaks to encourage motorists to purchase cars with smaller engine sizes.

He said that the current trend towards purchasing large cars, such as SUVs, was causing enormous damage to the environment.

"People have extra money over the last few years and they are choosing to spend that on bigger cars, " he said. "However, we have to encourage people to do less damage to the planet by purchasing cars with smaller engines that do not use up as much petrol. We can't put this issue on the long finger any further, it must be addressed now."

Larger engine cars represent more than one-fifth of cars registered during the first 10 days of the year. The greatest number of these were purchased in Dublin; the capital city accounts for almost 2,000 of the 5,068 large engine cars registered so far this year.

Dublin accounts for 30% of all new car registrations, with Cork coming in second at 13%. Galway's 1,058 new cars in 2007 put it third on the list.

Leitrim, Ireland's smallest county, registered the fewest number of cars during the first 10 days of the year; a total of 99 cars were registered in the county between 1 January and 10 January.

Car registrations for the first ten days of 2007
Engine 14001900cc
Engine less than 1400cc
Engine 1900cc
Total 2007 2006 2005 2004
8,691 8,493 5,068 22,252 7,501 7,391 3,813 18,705 6,878 6,303 3,016 16,197 6,010 5,692 2,512 14,214