The idea of carpooling, with the use of Uber and other services, is a big one for the country.
Carpools are being considered for the first time in Ireland as part of a pilot project, with more to follow.
“This is a huge step forward in the country’s carpool culture, which has never really existed before,” said Patrick O’Malley, director of the Irish Council for Carpool Transport.
Irish Transport Minister Simon Coveney said the pilot project was part of the government’s plan to create a carpool “safe city”.
“Ireland is the only country in Europe that does not have a mandatory minimum age for carpools, and we will continue to work towards changing that,” he said.
Uber has also been in talks with the Government about carpool legislation, with discussions due to begin this week.
While the pilot is focused on Dublin, there are plans to expand it to other parts of the country and across the Atlantic.
There are also plans for the carpool to be a “mini-bus”, with a total capacity of up to 20 people, with each driver required to have a driver’s licence.
A spokesperson for Uber said it was working on a solution.
