Justice Minister Visits New Build Kitchen and Café at Magilligan Prison

A fit for purpose, secure prisons estate is essential for the rehabilitation of people in custody, Justice Minister Naomi Long has said.

The Minister was speaking after visiting Magilligan Prison where she viewed the ongoing work on a new kitchen and café project and plans for new prisoner accommodation.

The new kitchen and café forms part of the first phase of essential capital works at Magilligan, delivering a safe, decent and secure environment. The existing kitchen is a portacabin structure, in place from 1990 and was originally designed to supply food to 300 prisoners daily – Magilligan currently houses 500 prisoners.

Minister Long said: “Much of the Northern Ireland prison estate is nearing the end of its useful economic life, with Prison Service facing rising maintenance costs totalling £28 million over the last 8 years. 

“These costs are in large part due to ageing infrastructure. The Magilligan Prison estate in particular, has been highlighted in various inspection reports as unfit for purpose, with temporary buildings and Second World War Nissan huts with deteriorating walls, roofs and flooring plus aging plumbing, electrical and heating systems.”

Minister Long continued: “I fully understand that all of this work requires considerable resource at a time when public finances are extremely challenging.  However, without continued and long-term investment in our prisons, they will further deteriorate.

“The new kitchen and café project at Magilligan will deliver the largest working and training kitchen in the North West, supporting prisoners to gain catering and hospitality skills and qualifications and improve opportunities to gain employment when they are released.  A more energy efficient facility will also reduce annual maintenance costs and contribute to Government targets for achieving Net Zero Carbon Emissions.”

Viewing plans for the proposed new accommodation at Halward House, Minister Long said: “Due to significant cost inflation, the Prison Service is proceeding using a phased approach to develop a new 60 cell wing which will help meet the demands of a rising prisoner population.  An Outline Business Case is at an early stage so timelines are not yet available for the commencement of construction.”

“In the next few months a new 10-bed unit will open at Magilligan for use by those individuals nearing the end of their sentence and preparing for their resettlement back into the community.”

A new Welcome and Visits Centre, Independent Living Units, new Energy Centre, administration and Emergency Control Room building are also part of a wider masterplan for Magilligan.

Elsewhere on the prison estate, NIPS are progressing proposals to develop three independent living units on the Hydebank Wood College and Women’s Prison site, creating a step-down facility for female prisoners. A business case is also currently being prepared for a new Welcome and Visits Centre at Maghaberry Prison.

Naomi Long said: “Prison is a community within a wall where people live, work and visit. Long term investment in its infrastructure is therefore essential to support rehabilitation, enhance independence and improve safety for staff and the people placed in the care of the Prison Service.”