Leo Varadkar has said the effects on the economy must be considered if the next government is to cut carbon emissions.
The Taoiseach was speaking after the Green Party demanded a pledge for a 7% cut in annual carbon emissions to go into coalition with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
The two parties have tabled a framework document to a number of smaller parties to convince them to join a coalition administration.
On Tuesday night, the parties sent a joint letter to the Greens addressing the 17 points the party raised about the blueprint for coalition.
Speaking in Dublin on Wednesday, Mr Varadkar, the Fine Gael leader, said: “The Green Party are meeting today to discuss their response to our letter and it is also being shared with the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael parliamentary party.
“I hope they give the letter close consideration. We are very keen to enter formal talks on forming a government as soon as they are willing to do so.
“The target they set of 7% is extremely ambitious and we accept we need to be ambitious when it comes to climate change.
“We will be interested in talking to them about how we can achieve more ambitious targets than the current one and maybe even the 7% one.
“We don’t want to commit to a target that can’t be done. We want to understand what impact achieving that target would have on poverty and unemployment and the economy – particularly the rural one.”