Ireland’s national postal service has abandoned plans to use Holyhead port for Christmas deliveries.
The port will remain closed until at least Thursday due to damage caused by Storm Darragh, which saw gusts of up to 94 mph (151 km/h) in the UK.
But one post said he was confident the gifts would arrive on time via alternative routes. A huge backlog of parcels.
“We would love to see it reopen as soon as possible, but we’re not counting on it,” a spokesman said.
The firm said 500,000 items were diverted and reached Ireland using shipping routes from Pembrokeshire, Lorne and Liverpool.
Irish Transport Minister James Lawless has relaxed drivers’ working hours until December 27 so they can stay on the road longer, the spokesman said.
The closure of the Holyhead port has also affected those traveling for Christmas and there have been many postings about the issue on social media.
It comes at one of the busiest trade periods between Ireland and the UK, with passenger numbers expected to increase over the festive period.
It was earlier expected that the port would reopen by December 13.
Ger Hyland, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, said earlier this week: “We are really going to struggle to deliver both to the high street and to internet shopping.
“It is my reckoning that it will not be delivered in time.”
He described the situation as “disastrous”, saying that freight at Holyhead and Dublin ports was “standing idle”.