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UBER’S PLANS FOR a ride-sharing pilot in Ireland have been knocked back by the National Transport Authority (NTA).
Since the San Francisco tech firm first surfaced in Ireland three years ago, it has made numerous lobbying efforts to gain support for the core car- and ride-sharing service that has made it the world’s most valuable venture-backed company.
The company has made four submissions to the NTA that focus on how Uber can improve transport in Ireland, but until recently the firm had not received a written response.
However in a letter addressing the US tech giant’s request to run a pilot in Limerick, the NTA stated that the scheme was “undesirable” and would cause unfair competition to licensed taxis. The scheme has previously received backing from Limerick City Council.
In the correspondence, as reported by RTÉ, the NTA said it was “unsupportive” of Uber’s proposal.
“Operating parallel regulated and non-regulated regimes, even on a pilot basis is undesirable in our view and can only serve to undermine the regulated transport system.
“The issue of unfair competition arises. This is not an approach which could be supported by the NTA.”
The San Francisco-based firm, which was valued at nearly $70 billion on its latest funding round, has been blocked from introducing its core product – facilitating paid trips in private cars – due to Ireland’s tight transport regulations.
At present, Irish customers are only able to book a licensed taxi through Uber, rather than a private car.
The company has made no secret of its big plans for Ireland and last year made a sizable investment in the country when it opened its first ‘centre of excellence’ outside the US in Limerick.
Speaking to Fora earlier this year, Uber Ireland boss Kieran Harte admitted there has been “limited conversation” with the NTA. The company also met with Transport Minister Shane Ross, who referred the company back to the NTA, according to Harte.
This is not the first instance of the NTA clashing head on with ridesharing firms in Ireland. It has previously advised other companies in the sector, such as Wundercar, that their operations would be in breach of Irish laws.
Speaking on Newstalk this morning, Taxi Federation president Joe Heron welcomed the news that the NTA has opposed Uber’s pilot plans.
“If you look at the cost of setting up a taxi business, it is huge,” he said.
“Taxis are paying up to €50,000 for a wheelchair accessible vehicle, up to €13,000 for insurance for to be in with competition with someone who uses their private car with private car insurance, it would be totally unfair competition.”
Battles
The latest setback for Uber in Ireland has come during a difficult year for the company.
In May, Uber’s plans hit another roadblock when a key advisor to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) said that the ridesharing firm should be dealt with as a transportation company – rather than a mere intermediary.
This finding, if upheld by the court, could further derail Uber’s private-car booking plans in Europe as member states will be free to keep governing the company like a taxi firm.
In addition to battling transport regulations on multiple fronts, the company has also suffered an exodus of senior staff, including founder and CEO Travis Kalanick, in recent months following allegations of sexual harassment at the company.
Written by Killian Woods and posted on Fora.ie
I don’t see the problem here. I support same sex marriage 100% but it it a free country. This means we all have freedom of speech. There are no wrong opinions. It’s the priest’s choice and rights to express his point of view. He doesn’t have to conform to main stream ideology.
@Tommy Chen: it is the opinion of most people that this priest is an asshat of the highest order.
@Tommy Chen:
Yes, it is a free country etc where people can hold whatever opinions they wish, however, from someone in his position within a community to be inciting such hatred so openly, it only takes one radical Christian lunatic to interpret that message in a particular way and then next we’ll have beatings and killings of homosexuals because “it’s a sin”.
As if the Catholic Church is so sacrosanct in the first place too. It’s been a hotbed of sin over the years with child abuse, mother and baby laundries, illegal adoption, beatings etc . So not only could the priests particular ideologies be interpreted in a particular way, it’s also incredibly hypocritical for him to be condemning something while representing an organisation that has done so much worse.
@Darren Anthony Corr: there’s people in every religion and every profession that did evil thongs to children. This man is entitled to his opinion. Who said anything about hatred only you .
@Jim Casey: things
@Tommy Chen:
Free speech is fine, using your position/platform to express your opinions unbeknownst to your audience….not so ok, which is why so many walked out of the church.
@Jim Casey:
The article in question is relating to comments made by a catholic priest, my comment was in relation to that. Whataboutery isn’t going to work here, it also adds nothing concrete just backs up my point really.
Nice try though.
@Tommy Chen: I agree.
I don’t agree with him at all, but I applaud his conviction to stand over his outdated views, despite the backlash he has brought on himself.
Sinful?
It’s the 21st century. No one believes that stuff any more.
He was only reading out the rule book, problem is they don’t want you quoting the rule book back to them cause it’s bad for PR
I don’t really understand the outrage. Those are the teachings of the Catholic Church. He’s a Catholic priest. If people don’t agree with those ridiculous, outdated beliefs they shouldn’t be part of a club that requires them to hold those beliefs
@Derek Walsh Ⓥ: spreading hate he was , even the powers that be in the Catholic Church are pulling away from that kinda behaviour
Why all the outrage. It’s not the Catholic Church’s job to agree with the prevailing ideology. Their job is to preach Catholic teachings and beliefs. That’s what this priest was doing. That’s what I would want to hear if I went to mass.
@Declan Dalton: the church should practice what they are preaching!!!
Not!!
The same guy put his support behind a sexual offender instead of the victim, He’s a hateful little man and shouldn’t be given the limelight he’s getting to spew his nonsense.
Odd, so many people disgusted with his comments, but still keep signing their kids up to the club. He is only reciting the long held views of his club, especially the leaders of it.
Yes, it is hateful, but you are happy enough to follow them so your kids can get a lovely day out whilst parents flash the largesse.
Hypocrisy on all sides.
He can take his backwards views and opinions and do one. People like that are a relic of the past and that’s where they belong in the past.
It used to be married couples who were told everything they did between the sheets was a sin. Now it’s same sex couples getting the “it’s a sin” treatment. I wish they’d just leave consenting adults to do as they please and concentrate their wrath on the real evil of sexual predators who prey on innocent children and shout about how sinful that is from the pulpit.
Selective reading and selective interpretation of the bible is the seed for disturbing individuals.
If the church has rules I think that’s fair enough and you either decide to follow the rules or not! But I think that it’s hilarious that the church can’t respect their own rules! Same-sex couples can’t marry in a church but heterosexual couples who are not allowed to have sex before marriage can get married in a church and even bring along their kids as proof that they did indeed have sex and have them even participate in the ceremony as flower girls etc. The church are a joke.
No mention of child sex abuse being a sin.
You’d be worried by those lads who think they have a direct line…..
He should be sacked from his job…
A belief system is something you can be almost be garanteed to be wrong about, unless it is backed up with an evidence based system.
Is sex with oneself a sin ?
Only because its been reported do I know about the comments and I care less about it if I never heard about it
have your say