Ireland could bring in Uber and Lyft to help address the taxi shortage, the Tánaiste has said.

Speaking at a press event in Dublin this morning, Leo Varadkar said ride-share options make it far easier to get around in other parts of the world.

Currently, uber and Lyft are entitled to operate in Ireland; however, drivers need to hold a taxi licence to offer rides for pay.

Some taxi drivers are available on Uber; however, Lyft has yet to make the move to Ireland.

Minister Varadkar said it may be time to overhaul the system.

“One thing I would like us to look at again quite frankly in Ireland is the whole issue of Uber and Lyft for example,” he said.

“The big difference that I find going to other parts of the world is that it is much easier to get a ride essentially – a car ride.

“What I find is, when you go to other countries you have other options than a taxi – whether it is public transport and you also have things like Uber and things like Lyft.

“They are just not available in Ireland in the same way and maybe we need to look at that again and see if we can liberalise that.”

He was speaking after Festival Republic Managing Director Melvin Benn warned people not to rely on taxis when travelling to the series of gigs at Marley Park this month.

Meanwhile, people heading into Dublin City Centre in recent weeks have complained that the lack of taxis has put them in dangerous situations, often forcing them to walk home alone.

Asked whether the government was waiting for someone to get attacked before addressing the taxi shortage, Minister Varadkar said: “I wouldn’t necessarily connect the two.”

“Unfortunately, people can get attacked even getting in taxis,” he said. “I wouldn’t like to put the two as being connected.

“It is very hard to get a taxi at the moment. I think, like a lot of things, it is feature of the snap back in demand that has occurred as a consequence of the pandemic.

“Demand was suppressed and now there is a sudden snap back in demand and a lot of systems are struggling to cope with that.

“The airport is one, the passports are another and taxis are a third example of that and these things will settle over time and will be sorted out.”

The Tánaiste was announcing a new €55m fund to help businesses transition to greener forms of energy.