The Isle of Inishmore remains in Pembroke Dock

Crews have refused to sail two ferries between Pembroke Dock, and Holyhead in north Wales, for 17 days over plans to introduce cheaper foreign workers.

On Friday, thousands demonstrated in Dublin and eight other towns and cities in the Republic of Ireland.

The Wales TUC is supporting the demonstration at Pembroke Dock.

It is also backed by the International Transport Workers Federation, whose affiliated unions are involved in the dispute, and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, which organised Friday's demonstrations in Ireland.

Talks in Dublin between the company and unions were adjourned early on Friday, with no agreement reached.

'Shabbily treated'

Derek Walker, head of Wales TUC policy and campaigns, said: "The Wales TUC and trade unions are returning to Pembroke Dock in another show of support and solidarity with Irish Ferry workers so shabbily treated by their employer.

"The Wales TUC is firmly committed to supporting SIPTU and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in delivering a resolution to this dispute and to upholding International Labour Organisation conventions that every industrialised nation has signed up to."

He stressed the dispute was not about stopping migrant workers from coming to the UK or Ireland to work, adding: "Wales TUC completely supports the need to protect migrant workers from exploitation and to help them join the labour market on fair terms and conditions."

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire AM Christine Gwyther, who was at the demonstration, said she was "bitterly disappointed" the company could not see its plan "flies in the face of decent employment practice".

The dispute began in September when Irish Ferries offered redundancy to a third of its workforce in order to replace them with lower-paid workers from central and eastern Europe.

More than 20,000 people took to the streets of Dublin on Friday

It escalated more than two weeks ago when Irish Ferries crew members on the vessels Isle of Inishmore and the Ulysses barricaded themselves on board.

The ships have remained moored in Pembroke Dock and Holyhead respectively while the dispute remains unresolved.

As well as the company's Irish Sea services, crossings from France to the UK have also been halted.

Irish Ferries has said it needs to bring in foreign staff to remain competitive.

The company added it had been completely open about its plans to bring in new crews as part of a cost-cutting exercise.