A new unit for 50 prisoners was opened today at Magilligan Prison by Minister, Paul Goggins MP. The Alpha Unit forms part of the 400 extra prison places announced by the Minister last December and will enable the Northern Ireland Prison Service to accommodate the increasing prison population.

The Minister also inspected construction work at another new unit which will open this autumn. The additional block will provide a further 60 cells, all with in-cell sanitation.

Paul Goggins said; “Last December I announced that in the longer term a new prison will be built on the Magilligan site, but I am pleased with the developments that are already taking shape both here and at Maghaberry Prison. By the end of the year we will have put in place more than 100 extra cells at Magilligan.

“The Criminal Justice Order passed by Parliament earlier this year will mean that more serious offenders will spend longer in custody and we need to be ready.

“This new accommodation will help staff to do their job even more effectively, delivering the resettlement and other programmes that can help offenders prepare for release and a life free from crime.

“I believe that all prisoners should engage in constructive activity and I was very pleased to see prisoners fully involved in different types of work. I commend the Governor and his staff for their commitment, and for making sure that prisoners spend their time in Magilligan purposefully.”

Tom Woods, Governor of Magilligan Prison, welcomed the Minister to the prison and stated that the new ‘Alpha’ Accommodation Unit would help alleviate some of the pressures caused by the rising prisoner population.

He said; “The accommodation will help assess those prisoners in the latter part of their sentence to ascertain if they are suitable for testing in the more open Foyleview Unit. Improving the accommodation helps the staff to do their job and the prisoners to respond to the opportunities provided for change and improvement.”



Notes to Editors

1. Magilligan Prison is a medium security prison housing shorter-term sentenced adult male prisoners. It also has a low security accommodation facility (Foyleview) for selected prisoners who are nearing the end of their sentence.

2. The Alpha Accommodation Unit, which was officially opened today by The Minister, received its first prisoners earlier this year. There are presently 49 prisoners housed in the 50 cell unit.

3. The prison population at Magilligan today was 464. The Certified Normal Accommodation of the prison (including Foyleview) is 502.

4. The population of the prison has increased steadily since the start of the year as more prisoners are transferred from Maghaberry Prison to address the rising prison population. The average population of Magilligan Prison in January 2008 was 390.

5. Tom Woods joined the Northern Ireland Prison Service in September 1983. He has been Governor of Magilligan Prison since October 2006.

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