£4m business case for jail with no start in sight

The Minister told East Londonderry MLA Gregory Campbell that the total cost of the business case for a new build has been £3,785,000 to date.

The revelation follows the Minister’s confirmation that he will allocate £54 million for the redevelopment of the prison estate as part of his Budget 2011-15.

“Planning for a new women’s facility is at an early stage and the business case for redevelopment or replacement of Magilligan prison is being drafted,” according to Budget 2011-15.

The Minister confirmed as wildly optimistic former Security Minister Paul Goggins’ 2008 forecast that a new £200m jail in County Londonderry could be completed between 2011/12 and 2015.

Budget 2011-15 says the £54m is well below the sum required to achieve this.

It states: “This level of funding is insufficient to allow both to be completed within the 2011-15 Budget period, but it will allow the Department to begin these projects as either conventional capital builds or by involving the private sector.

“The final funding options will be determined by the business cases,” the Justice Minister told the East Londonderry Assembly member.

The Budget confirms former Northern Ireland Prison Chief Robin Masefields view that Magilligan may not be replaced until as late as 2020.

Last year Mr Masefield said “the replacement prison and the women’s facility at Magilligan will probably have a time frame of between five years and 10 years.”

The Northern Ireland Prison Service chief first told Limavady Borough Council the prison was out-dated and required replacement in 2005.