Rathlin Island Ferry has announced that all services between the island and mainland have been cancelled today, Thursday 5 January, due to the commencement of strike action by staff.
The ferry service which normally sails throughout the day and serves around 150 island residents.
A post on the Rathlin Island Ferry website states:
"Due to industrial action on Thursday 5th January, ALL sailings are cancelled, and office will remain closed."
North Antrim Alliance MLA Patricia O’Lynn has issued an urgent call to the Department for Infrastructure.
"While this is primarily a dispute between the ferry operator and crew, the contract for services is issued by the Department of Infrastructure. The Rathlin Island Ferry is a lifeline for islanders, and strike action is as always a last resort: the crew are all too aware that it is their friends and neighbours who will be most impacted by the action, and they do not take this lightly.
"Rathlin is a vibrant community with a unique history and heritage. Government needs to provide support for small and vulnerable communities, and I will be putting this to Julie Harrison, Permanent Secretary of the DfI, in the strongest terms.’
"I stand with all the islanders and want to see proper support for this crucial connection between island and mainland."