The Irish Ferries vessel the MV Normandy is to resume sailings to France next week after spending three days in detention in Rosslare Harbour for a safety audit.
Department of the Marine officials, who identified a number of safety deficiencies during a routine inspection last Wednesday, reboarded the ship yesterday to check that remedial action had been taken.
A spokesman for the department said all the deficiencies identified had been rectified, and the vessel had been released for sailing.
This followed an independent safety audit organised by Irish Ferries, and carried out by shipping certification company German-ischer Lloyd.
Maritime authorities in the Bahamas, where the MV Normandy is flagged, issued a request to the Department of the Marine for yesterday's follow-up inspection after being informed by Irish Ferries that the problems had been sorted out.
The deficiencies related to firefighting measures, safety management and crew safety training.
About 130 passengers who were due to sail from the French port of Cherbourg to Rosslare on Thursday night were accommodated on alternative services via Britain, according to Irish Ferries.
The company added that its Normandy schedule would resume following the Christmas break, with the first sailing departing Rosslare to Cherbourg on Tuesday, December 27th.
Wednesday's inspection was the second safety check carried out by the department on the Normandy this year. The vessel was the subject of a strike by Siptu ship's officers a year ago when the company sought to replace Irish crew with cheaper labour.
The company's subsequent decision to introduce similar measures for its Irish Sea vessels, including the registering of the ships in the Bahamas, led to the more recent industrial dispute, which was settled last week.
