Contractors sought to dispose of former restaurant boat

Waterways Ireland is seeking contractors to dispose of an abandoned former floating restaurant vessel.

The vessel, the former Romaris, was removed from Lough Ree, in the Glasson area late last year.

The 55ft (overall length) and 35 tonne vessel – which is currently stored at Lakeside Marina, in Ballykeeran. was recovered and removed from the Shannon Navigation by Waterways Ireland under the provisions of the Shannon Navigation Bye-Laws 1992.

Its removal followed an article in the Westmeath Independent last year, after a regular user of the lake contacted this newspaper to say the boat had been abandoned and decaying for the last two years.

The teak wooden-hulled, sea-going cruiser has since been placed into storage at Lakeside Marina.

Waterways Ireland is empowered to sell the object and to recover from the proceeds any outstanding costs of removal and storage.

However, there is an exception where, the value of the object is less than €254 – which Waterways Ireland now considers it to be.

In its etender seeking a contractor, Waterways Ireland said it made 'reasonable efforts' to realise a value from the Romaris, including attempts to sell the vessel.

As a result, it was now seeking quotations from contractors for the removal and appropriate disposal or onward processing of the vessel from its current location.

The contractor will be responsible for providing a complete solution for the removal and subsequent disposal by way of recycling or scrappage of the Romaris.

The closing date for receipt of quotations is October 16 and can be submitted to peter.harty@waterwaysireland.org