Irish Ferries is a private commercial company operating ferry and passenger services between Ireland, Britain and France under the Cyprus flag or the Bahamas flag. In May 2016, the company entered into an agreement with a German company Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft & Co.KG (FSG) to construct the WB Yeats at a contract price of €144million.
My Department through the IMDO works closely with all existing ferry operators and have been in contact with the Company. Irish Ferries was advised by the German company on Friday 20 April of a delay in the delivery of the new vessel by at least a month. On the 12 June 2018 Irish Ferries issued a press release advising that the delivery of the W.B. Yeats from FSG was further delayed. The Company have stated that this delay is due to extraordinary circumstances beyond its control.
As a result of this Irish Ferries has now taken a commercial decision to cancel all planned sailings to France for the W.B. Yeats vessel this summer. They are proactively handling the situation and they are contacting affected customers informing them of the cancellations and offering alternative travel options, including alternative direct sailings.
Up to 90% of those affected can be accommodated on the Oscar Wilde sailings from Rosslare to France or on sailings on the Epsilon from Dublin to France at weekends or can opt for a land-bridge option i.e. sailing to the UK from either Dublin or Rosslare and then to France.
I understand that customers who choose the land-bridge option will be reimbursed the cost of their fuel requirements from the port of arrival in the UK to the port of arrival in France.
If alternative travel options do not suit customers full refunds of any monies paid will be given. They are also offering each affected customer a €150 voucher which can be used on any of their Ireland-France routes next year.
