Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with Irish Ferries on the (a) welfare and (b) employment conditions of seafarers employed on the ferry Norbay.

Irish Ferries currently operates on an international route and under international law the requirements for the welfare and employment conditions rest with the flag state, which is currently Bermuda. We would expect Irish Ferries to comply with all international requirements as required by Bermuda.