Updated 12.12 pm 

TWO RENTAL CARS were set on fire in Dublin city last night in an apparent arson attack.

The two vehicles are part of the GoCar rental service and were torched at about 9pm yesterday evening.

The cars were parked next to each other at Malpas Street in south inner city Dublin when they were set on fire.

An Garda Síochána says that criminal damage to the vehicles is being investigated by gardaí at Kevin Street Garda Station.

GoCar says that the vehicles were worth about €15,000 each and the attacks is likely to have “many knock-on effects” for the car sharing business.

“As a small Irish business, an attack on two vehicles worth €15,000 each is obviously a huge disappointment for us, but it is an isolated incident and we’re reassured by how swiftly and thoroughly the gardai have been dealing with it,” said GoCar’s Jonathan Roche.

Roche compared GoCar to the DublinBikes rental scheme and said that similar concerns about the potential for widespread damage to bikes has been unfounded.

“We still have absolute confidence in the viability of car sharing in Dublin,” he said.

“Although it is very frustrating to suffer this attack as we’re a small Irish business with 6 full-time staff, and cannot afford these types of setbacks.”

Both of the burnt cars have been removed from the scene this morning.

It’s not the first time that the Go Car service has been targeted, three years ago another of its cars was destroyed in a similar incident.

The car-sharing service allows members join by paying a membership fee and renting the cars on an hourly basis. Go Cars are also allowed to park for free at Dublin City Council street parking spaces.

The service is also available in Cork City Centre.

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