Sir, The letter from Irish Ferries to the Government, according to your report, stated that "turnover on the Rosslare to Le Havre route has dropped from £30 million to £20 million over the past four years". Has the management asked itself why? Perhaps it should send some senior executives to sample the superior service, standard of cleanliness and the professionalism of the staff of its main rival.
As frequent travellers to Ireland from our base in Germany, we went to great lengths (i.e. 500 additional kilometres!) to avoid being subjected on Irish Ferries to primitive catering, questionable hygiene, constant annoyance by avoidable Tannoy announcements, premature eviction from cabins through a mass of dirty linen and vacuum cleaners in other words, a general feeling of sailing steerage instead of being full fare paying passengers.
What a cheek to ask for Government support to subsidise a second rate service, instead of management, union and other staff representatives sitting down and getting their act together to win back passenger support by offering value for money in a pleasant atmosphere. Yours, etc.,
Castlepark,
Kinsale,
Co Cork.