Petition to retain HMP Magilligan

AROUND 20,000 people are expected to sign a petition due to be presented by the Prison Officer’s Association to oppose the closure of HMP Magilligan.

Well over 400 people, many of whom live locally, are employed at the prison. Current proposals from the Department of Justice state that Magilligan Prison will be closed by 2015.

The Sentinel reported in October that unless the recommendations of a high-level Prison Review Team were ignored by officials, Magilligan would close. The Prison Review Team stated: “Ideally, a new prison should be built in a more accessible location.” It has since been confirmed that Her Majesty’s Prison, Magilligan will close by 2018.

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Charities relying on inmates’ labour, those employed at the prison, inmates’ families from the North-west and local businesses now look set to lose out.

The Department of Justice has now announced that new proposals would see a new medium security prison developed in a central location, making Magilligan no longer needed.

Finlay Spratt, speaking to the Sentinel on behalf of the Prison Officer’s Association, said that they intend to launch a petition opposed to the closure later this month.

He said: “We are launching the petition on September 21 at 1.00pm and we intend to hand it over to the Department of Justice at Stormont. It will say that ‘the undersigned object to the closure of HMP Magilligan.

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“The support we have had has been fantastic, right across the board and from every political party, with the exception of Sinn Féin. All the support has been excellent.

“We have met with the Democratic Unionist Party, the Ulster Unionist Party, the Independent MLA David McClarty; we have met with Jim Allister from the TUV. We have widespread support from across Limavady Borough Council and we also have support from Coleraine council.

“This is something that is going to affect Limavady in a very bad way, but it also going to affect the whole North West area, including places such as Coleraine and Ballymoney.

“While the majority of workers live close to the prison, you have people from Londonderry, from places such as Newbuildings, people from Strabane and from all over who will be affected.

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“My feeling is that it will have a devastating impact not only on the 452 staff, 400 of whom are uniform staff, and the surrounding economy. We are firmly opposed and we are supported by our colleagues across Ulster in the Prison Officer’s Association in our objections.”

Mr Spratt added: “Everyone will have the opportunity to sign the petition and we are hoping for 20,000 signatures.”

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