The Liverpool Ferry Terminal has already cost Isle of Man taxpayers more than £100 million, a Member of the House of Keys has claimed, far exceeding its original £38 million budget.

The figure was revealed during a heated exchange in the House of Keys on Tuesday, as Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall declined to confirm the final cost due to ongoing legal proceedings.

Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper pressed Mr Crookall on the final price of the long-delayed terminal, which opened to passengers in June 2024.

The minister said the Department of Infrastructure had concluded the construction contract with the main contractor and closed the project’s main account, but could not release a final figure.

‘I am very aware that the public is keen to understand the total cost of the Liverpool ferry terminal project, but having taken legal advice, I cannot publish the figure, and doing so would compromise our position,’ Mr Crookall told the Keys.

Mr Hooper, who served as a political member of the Department of Infrastructure up until last month, warned he could disclose the cost himself using parliamentary privilege.

He told the House he understood the overall figure to be ‘somewhat north of £100 million,’ adding: ‘Now that the contractual process has finished, the legal dispute that is ongoing actually is about recovery of cost, because that’s the way the contract is structured. All the money has already been paid out.

‘So, the reality is now we are working back from a theoretical maximum cost towards what the actual final settlement will be.’

The Infrastructure Minister did confirm that the project’s approved funding of £70.7 million, alongside £2.12 million from the capital inflation fund, has been fully exhausted.

He said Tynwald would need to provide a supplementary vote to cover additional costs, with negotiations expected to continue for up to 18 months.

‘The matter is currently undergoing a legal process… There will be a time when the parties agree a figure,’ Mr Crookall said, cautioning that the drawn-out discussions primarily benefit legal teams rather than taxpayers.

The ferry terminal’s costs have risen dramatically since it was first proposed in 2015, when the budget was set at around £18 million.

Tynwald eventually approved a £70.6 million budget, citing difficult site conditions, disruption from Covid-19, and rising construction material costs as factors driving the increase.

During questioning, members also raised concerns about defect periods and ongoing maintenance.

Mr Crookall confirmed that the terminal has a projected lifespan of between 30 and 50 years, with the property’s 236-year lease still in place.

He said legal advisers, based on the Isle of Man and across the water, continue to handle disputes with the contractors.

Opposition members expressed frustration over the lack of transparency.

Mr Hooper described the extended negotiations as ‘somewhat shocking’ and warned that delays in finalising the project leave taxpayers in the dark over the total cost.

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan and other ministers assured members that the ongoing review would be monitored, with any supplementary funding requiring formal approval from Tynwald.