FR have repeatedly operated routes in direct competition with rivals out of Ireland purely to chase away said competition, and then when said competition ceases ops on said route, FR either bump up the price massively or cease said route altogether
A tactic that EI used to employ quite a lot (using tax payers money), with much success against new entrants into the Irish market and it nearly succeeded with FR too, prior to Minister Seamus Brennan "calling off" the then wholly owned State flag carrier and allowing FR the room to get a foot hold.
JAS