Support urged for Prison petition

COMMUNITY support for a petition opposed to the closure of Magilligan Prison has been called for by the Deputy Mayor of Limavady.

Deputy Mayor of the Limavady Borough, DUP councillor Alan Robinson has called on the Limavady community to give their support to the petition due to be launched this week by the Prison Officer’s Association, that objects to the closure of Magilligan Prison.

In a statement issued to this newspaper, councillor Robinson said: “Since the revelations within the Prisons Estate Strategy recommending the decommissioning of Magilligan Prison we have the lead the charge opposing any such closure with a series of initiatives.

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“We have tabled and debated motions in Limavady Council and in the Northern Ireland Assembly. A similar motion was tabled in neighbouring Coleraine Council.

“These motions were followed up when I proposed that Limavady and Coleraine Councils in the company of the local Chambers of Trade meet face to face with David Ford, the Justice Minister to express our serious concerns at how the closure will have a catastrophic impact upon this local region.

“Limavady DUP have also drawn up a 10 page response to the Northern Ireland Prisons Estates strategy consultation and offered out the template to anyone wishing to respond in person. That offer remains.

“The latest initiative will be a launch of a petition by The Prison Officers Association on Friday, September 21, calling upon the community to oppose any attempts to close HMP Magilligan. As Deputy Mayor of this Borough I would call upon our community over the next few weeks to sign this petition in their thousands.

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“The Minister and his Department must be sent a clear message that we will not stand idly by and watch the heart being ripped from Limavady whilst more jobs are lost to the greater Belfast area. With the impact of any such closure being estimated to take in the region of £10 million from the local economy it is therefore imperative that this proposal be vigorously resisted.”

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