Almost 500 Irish Ferries workers accept redundancy terms

ALMOST 500 seafarers from Irish Ferries have accepted the company's redundancy terms, leaving only 48 members of the 'old order' on its Irish Sea routes.

A spokesman for Irish Ferries said the company expected that all those who opted to take severance packages - the highest up to Eur 300,000 - would leave by the end of the month, when contract crews from Eastern Europe are due to take over their duties.

'The process is under way and is expected to be complete by the end of January,' said the spokesman.

Meanwhile, the cruise ferry Normandy is operating on the Rosslare Harbour to Pembroke service, while the Isle of Inishmore is sailing between Dublin and Holyhead to cover for the ferry the Ulysess, which is in dry dock in Birkenhead.

The Inishmore will subsequently cover for the Jonathan Swift, which is due in dry dock in Belfast this week, returning to the Rosslare-Pembroke route by mid-February after the vessel itself goes into dry dock.

The three ships are all to be reflagged as Cypriot registered while they are in dry dock, the reflagging part of the agreement on wages and the employment of contract crews that ended the pre-Christmas dispute which paralysed Irish Ferries' services for three weeks.

Pembroke - Rosslare

1 x Foot Passenger(s) Return

Travelling on: 29/07/2012 - 12/08/2012

£54

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Pembroke - Rosslare

Car + 2 Return

Travelling on: 05/09/2012 - 18/09/2012

£200

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Pembroke - Rosslare

Car + 4 Return

Travelling on: 05/09/2012 - 18/09/2012

£314

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* Prices are "from prices" and are indicative only

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