Tynwald has agreed to fork out more money on the landing stage in Liverpool that’s being funded by the Manx taxpayer

The spiralling cost takes the project to £70.6m.

Back in 2016, a Department of Infrastructure report suggested that to design and construct the facility the estimated total cost would be about £25m.

On Tuesday, Tynwald approved an additional spend of £32.6 million towards its completion.

The handling of the project by the Department for Infrastructure was criticised in a three-hour debate.

Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall, who moved the motion, said the overspend on the project was nothing short of a disaster, and that stinging criticism of the department’s handling of it by members was justified.

But he warned that to walk away having already spent £40 million would be a mistake.

’If you vote against this today we not only walk away from about £40m already invested but we will lose that link to Liverpool when the lease on the present landing stage runs out next year.

Two amendments to the motion were tabled by Speaker of the House of Keys Juan Watterson and Treasury Minister David Ashford - the combined effect of which will be a detailed report to Tynwald from the DoI and an investigation by the Public Accounts Committee to report in January 2023.

Middle MHK Stu Peters described the saga as a disaster.

Mr Crookall was later asked whether the taxpayer might have to spend even more on the project.

He told Manx Radio: ’We hope not. If Covid comes back in a big way that could slow things up again.’

He said he didn’t want to ask for more money at a later stage.

’As far as we know that’s everything on the table now.’

He conceded that if Tynwald had known what was to unfold he was sure members wouldn’t have agreed to start the project. Seventy million pounds is huge. It’s far too big.

’The Public Accounts Committee will come back with the questions and they have to be answered. What went wrong? Where did it go wrong?’