3 subsidy for Irish ferry
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RPOOL-based Mancon Shipping was planning to bid for the ned P&O Liverpool-Belfast ferry service this week, and may duce new ships to the route within months.
a company was expected to separate bids for the serand for the ships which very restricted capacity for nercial vehicles or other it.
s follows Northern Ireland itary James Prior's refusal )prieve the P&O service, closes finally on Noier 11, after being given a h's extra life pending its ble rescue. The service has losing £1.2m a year.
t week, Mr Prior told a dele p n led by Democratic list leader Rev Ian Paisley he service can only survive re suitable ships are used ;rid only if there are consid manpower reductions.
said that P&O had only been prepared to continue the service, even if its aim of £0.8m worth of manpower savings are met, if the Government was prepared to accept full financial responsibility for the service.
Mr Prior said that neither this nor subsidies along the lines of those which apply on routes to the Scottish islands could be provided. He said this would cause too many distortions to other operators' finances.