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Major redevelopment at Magilligan prison delayed until 2026

The re-development at Magilligan prison will not be completed until at least 2016. The project has also increased in cost by £10m in just two years
The re-development at Magilligan prison will not be completed until at least 2016. The project has also increased in cost by £10m in just two years The re-development at Magilligan prison will not be completed until at least 2016. The project has also increased in cost by £10m in just two years

THE proposed redevelopment of Magilligan prison will not be completed until at least 2026 and will cost the taxpayer an extra £10m.

Justice Minister Claire Sugden has confirmed that due to "construction and capital cost inflation" the bill for the major works at the north's second biggest prison has risen to £162.3m in less than two years.

An outline business case, approved by the Department of Finance in January 2015, estimated the costs at just over £150m.

As well as rising costs the exact date for completion is unclear and remains subject to funding becoming available.

Responding to an Assembly question from DUP MLA George Robinson Ms Sugden said she was unable to confirm when the work at Magilligan would begin "until capital funding is secured", but insisted she was "fully committed" to the project.

"I am fully committed to providing a redeveloped prison at Magilligan to enable the Northern Ireland Prison Service to deliver essential programmes to address re-offending behaviour; to meet Disability Discrimination Act standards; and to replace the existing infrastructure, which has outlived its useful life and is expensive and inefficient to staff; maintain and operate," she said.

Former Justice Minister David Ford ended speculation over the future of Magilligan prison in 2013 when he announced a major redevelopment to improve facilities and increase prisoner capacity.

At the time completion of the project was planned for 2020. This then later moved out to 2023, subject to capital funds being made available.

When asked in the Assembly last month when construction work would begin at the prison the minister confirmed the project had been delayed for a third time.

"The building work will start when we can secure capital funding. If that were to happen soon, for example, I would expect a fully developed prison to be delivered by 2025-26," she said.

The re-development at Magilligan is to provide fit for purpose accommodation and support services to help deliver the aim of improving rehabilitation for prisoners.

It is set to deliver accommodation for up to 720 prisoners with the facility to expand to 1100 if required according to the Strategic Investment Board for Northern Ireland.

The Derry facility is a medium to low security prison which holds male prisoners with six years or less to serve and who meet the relevant security classification. It currently has a capacity of 568 prisoners and is the second largest prison in the north behind Maghaberry.

Back in June the chairman of the Prison Officers Association Finlay Spratt said Magilligan prison was "not fit for purpose" and alleged that conditions staff faced were "attrocious" in a damning assessment.

At the time SDLP East Derry MLA Gerry Mullan called on the Justice Minister to deliver the new build at Magilligan as a matter of urgency.

"It's critical that we see a new build at the site to relieve pressure on staff and prisoners, offering them a genuine opportunity for rehabilitation in a modern prison environment," he said.