Trades Council backs campaign to save Magilligan Prison

Earlier this year Minster for Justice, David Ford, announced that the prison was to be decommissioned in 2018 and relocated to a more central location in proposals included in the consultation on Northern Ireland Prison Service outline estate strategy which ended recently.

Speaking about the proposals, Trades Council Secretary, Rodger Doherty said: “The potential closure of Magilligan Prison is yet another blow to the local economy with hundreds of jobs being relocated, resulting is many staff members having to relocate and local companies facing losing contracts they have with the prison.”

The union representing prison officers at the prison, The Prison Officers Association has launched a petition to save the prison. The aim is to gather at least 20,000 signatures to present to the Justice Minister in November.

Locally petitions can be found signed at Coleraine Town Hall from this week along with David McClarty’s offices in both Coleraine and Limavady and the DUP offices in Coleraine and Ballymoney.

Mr Doherty added: “We have been in contact with the Prison Officers Association and have taken hold of their petition; we hope people support the petition.

“The petition will be available until the end of October when they will be gathered and complied.” If any business or individual would like a copy of the petition please contact [email protected]