Sir, - Sailing back to the Continent on the Rosslare France route with a group of Swiss students, we read with some astonishment that Irish Ferries appears intent on running down its Continental service (October 4th). As on several occasions before, we preferred travelling on this well established direct route despite increasingly obvious signs that the company's investment priorities have shifted towards the links with England.
During this particular crossing we were greatly impressed by the determined effort of the crew to keep up the quality of the service, in spite of the depressing prospects of lay offs that they are confronted with. Can Ireland really afford to neglect this direct link with the Continent and thus become, once again, an offshore island of England? - Yours, etc.,
Deutsches Gymnasium,
Landestrasse,
Biel-Bienne. Switzerland.