Harris defends Varadkar and FG over lobbying by Uber

SIMON Harris yesterday insisted that there are no questions to be asked of Tánaiste Leo Varadkar or Fine Gael on their relationship with Uber, amid reports the party’s 2016 manifesto included text from the tech giant.

Leaked files set out a lobbying campaign by former Department of Finance secretary general John Moran on behalf of Uber, resulting in the text being included in the Fine Gael’s general election manifesto.

The National Transport Authority eventually ruled Uber could not operate its ridesharing service in Ireland in 2017. In recent weeks, Mr Varadkar said he wanted to ‘look at again’ the possibility of introducing ride share services into Ireland to address the taxi shortage.

Speaking in Dublin yesterday, Higher Education Minister Mr Harris said: ‘I think what the Tánaiste stated was that there are many countries across Europe and many countries across the world where this sort of model actually works very well. In Ireland, you regularly hear comments from people, even in this capital city, that they can’t get a taxi... So the fact that leading politicians will be putting forward ideas or suggestions in relation to how we can go about improving that situation is not new.’

On the Fine Gael manifesto, Mr Harris said he didn’t ‘recognise the characterisation’ that Uber’s text was included in the 2016 document and added that it was his understanding that Uber’s lobbying of the Government had been recorded in the lobbying register.

He remarked: ‘It’s never a bad thing for an NGO, for a business organisation, for someone else to come forward with a view and present that view to government in a democracy. What is important is that it’s done in a transparent way. My understanding is that was, in this case.’

Sinn Féin transport spokesperson Darren O’Rourke yesterday said the leaked files, reported on by the Irish Times, raised ‘serious questions’ and claimed that they highlighted a ‘very cosy relationship between big business and Fine Gael’.

A Fine Gael spokesperson said last night said that lobbying is an ‘important part’ of the democratic process.

‘Some of these issues raised go on to influence policy, some of them don’t,’ she said. ‘To prevent lobbying from taking place would essentially be limiting access by anyone to their elected representatives.’