Naomi Long's justice department to spend £13 million on new prison cafe - as 60 new cells put on hold
The department of justice will spend at least £13.3m on a new cafe and kitchen at Magilligan Prison in County Londonderry, which it believes will support prisoners to gain catering and hospitality skills and qualifications.
However, a new accommodation block has been put on hold – despite the prison currently being at full capacity.
The cost was revealed in an answer to an Assembly question by the DUP chair of the justice committee Joanne Bunting.
Approval for a redevelopment at the prison was granted by Stormont’s finance department in May 2022. It was initially to include a cell accommodation block, energy centre and an emergency control room.
But because of spiralling costs, the NI Prison Service, run by Mrs Long’s justice department, decided to proceed with the Kitchen and Cafe as a separate project.
The department believes that the cafe – at one stage estimated to cost up to £16m – will provide prisoners with a modern, fit for purpose facility.
Magilligan Prison 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.
An outline business case for the new cell block, energy centre and control room is expected next year.
East Belfast MLA Joanne Bunting had asked the justice minister for a breakdown of costs and specification of the new kitchen and cafe in HMP Magilligan; to detail the extent of the increases in price; whether the specification has been reduced as a result in the increase of price; on completion, how these facilities will compare to those in other prisons; and whether there is an intention to increase prisoner numbers in HMP Magilligan as part of the long-term strategy for prisons and the redevelopment of the site.
The justice minister responded: “The current estimated cost of procurement and construction of a new kitchen and café at Magilligan Prison is £13.3m (including optimism bias and capital inflation).
“The Northern Ireland Prison Service are not in a position to provide a more detailed breakdown of costs or specification at this time. The preferred option has not yet been approved, nor has the expenditure associated with the Outline Business Case been considered by either the Department of Justice or the Department of Finance.
“Due to significant cost inflation, all capital cost projects, including this project, have been subject to price increases. However, due to changes in design and scope of the project, costs have been reduced from initial estimates. The specification of the project has not been affected by these changes.
“The new facility will provide a modern, fit for purpose kitchen and café to replace current ageing temporary structures that are of a poor standard. Proposed facilities will be akin to those currently available at Maghaberry Prison and Hydebank Wood College and Women’s Prison.
“This project aims to support prisoners to gain catering and hospitality skills and qualifications that will support them to gain employment in the hospitality and service industries upon release, ultimately support a reduction in rates of reoffending and make Northern Ireland safer.
“Magilligan currently sits at maximum capacity of 500 prisoners due to the overall rise in prison numbers in Northern Ireland. A business case is currently being developed for a new 60 cell accommodation block as part of the long term development strategy for Magilligan Prison”.