Ride-sharing services Uber and Lyft could be introduced in Ireland to help solve Ireland's taxi shortage, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said.

The apps have helped make it easier to get around in cities all over the world, but while Uber and Lyft are currently entitled to operate in Ireland, drivers must hold a taxi licence to charge fares for journeys.

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

Mr Varadkar suggested easing the rules on the apps in response to the country's deepening taxi shortage, with 2,000 drivers having left the sector since the pandemic hit.

"One thing I would like us to look at again, quite frankly, in Ireland is the whole issue of Uber and Lyft, for example," Mr Varadkar commented.

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"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."

He added: "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."

The lack of taxis is a hot topic for late-night revellers in our cities. Mr Varadkar was speaking after Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn warned people not to rely on taxis when travelling to the series of gigs at Marlay Park in Dublin later this month.