Trader lays off 9 staff after ‘CIÉ tells drivers to boycott business’

A Waterford city trader said yesterday he had laid off nine of his 24 staff after CIÉ Tours International instructed drivers to boycott his business.

Paul Kennedy of Hibernian Gifts & Café says an e-mail to coach operators from a manager at CIE Tours had seriously impacted on his business. The email from a manager in quality control stated: “DO NOT visit/lunch @ Hibernian gifts”/.

It also advised drivers and coach companies to “drop off passengers at coach bays at front of House of Waterford Crystal or at the Bishops Palace /Museum.”