Gallagher to raise ferry dispute at EU talks

MARINE MINISTER Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher is to raise the prospect of a new European Ferries Directive with his EU counterparts next week as the crisis at Irish Ferries continues.

The standoff dominated the political agenda yesterday, as the Dáil adjourned to facilitate a rare emergency debate for the first time in almost five years.

During the debate, Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin said there was nothing the Government could do to prevent Irish Ferries re-flagging its ships abroad to evade Irish labour law.