Irish Ferries has confirmed that it has commenced layoffs at the company. 450 staff will be laid off today - 150 fewer than had been predicted.
A spokesman for the company said that they would be retaining 76 additional staff on board the three vessels whose services were suspended yesterday for care and maintenance while the routes are out of service.
He said the balance of the company's staff would be employed on the sole remaining operating vessel the Ulysses.
Today's layoffs are as a result of a row at the company over cost cutting plans. Irish Ferries says it needs to achieve cost savings of €3.4m a year and 52 voluntary redundancies because the company has become uncompetitive compared to its rivals.
However, negotiation of a cost cutting package has been delayed by an inter-union row between SIPTU and the Seamen's Union of Ireland.
