Taxpayers 'may foot Nomadic bill'

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Taxpayers could face a £7m bill to restore a government-bought ship linked to the Titanic, a committee has found.

The SS Nomadic was bought three years ago by the Department of Social Development and brought back to Belfast as a potential tourist attraction.

Public Accounts Committee chairman Paul Maskey said significant unforeseen costs had been incurred since then.

A DSD spokesman said the £7m figure was wrong and most of the money would come from EU and heritage lottery grants.

The assembly spending watchdog's report was criticised as misleading by the Nomadic Charitable Trust, which has been raising money to fund the restoration project.

These are challenging times - preserving our heritage is important, but not at any cost Paul MaskeyPublic Accounts Committee

The trust was appointed by the DSD to oversee the conservation project of the Nomadic, which transported passengers to the ill-fated liner.

Trust Chairman Denis Rooney said it has "operated with great financial efficiency and has been very successful in getting funding from a variety of sources, including a substantial grant from the EU, with other awards pending".

Mr Maskey said the DSD acknowledged when it saved the Nomadic from a wrecker's yard in France that it was getting involved in areas in which it had very little experience.

"This inexperience was demonstrated by unforeseen costs that the department incurred up to December 2008, including £650,000 on transportation, essential restoration for the vessel and providing financial assistance to the SS Nomadic Charitable Trust.

"The department has told the committee it would not fund the costs of restoration - that was a matter for the Trust who have so far secured £3.6m towards the cost of restoration.

"However, over 90% of this has come from public funds."

Titanic centenary

He said the committee recognised the trust is a voluntary organisation staffed mainly by part-time workers and enthusiasts.

"However, these are challenging times - preserving our heritage is important, but not at any cost," he said.

The report said the current cost of restoring the Nomadic was estimated to be between £5m and £7m.

The restoration project had been planned to be completed by 2012, the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic.

A series of commemorative events will take place in Belfast, where both boats were built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard.

The Nomadic currently sits in dry dock, awaiting repair and restoration.

The committee recommended that the department and trust work together to ensure that contractors are appointed to enable work to commence at the earliest opportunity.