Maghaberry prison ‘tense’ – implement agreement, say Sinn Féin MLAs

THE SITUATION in Maghaberry Prison is tense, making the need for the prison administration to resolve outstanding issues in the jail for the benefit of prisoners and staff even more urgent, Sinn Féin MLAs said after visiting there on Thursday.

Sinn Féin MLAs Raymond McCartney (Foyle) and Jennifer McCann (West Belfast) visited Hydebank Young Offenders’ Centre and Women’s Prison as well as Maghaberry Prison in their efforts to address ongoing concerns about conditions.

Following the visits, Raymond McCartney (Sinn Féin Justice Committee vice-chair) reiterated the party’s call for the Prison Service to implement all of the recommendations of August 2010 to resolve the continuing problems in the prisons.

Raymond McCartney said:

It is incumbent on the Prison Service to honour the agreement reached in August 2010 in spirit and practice. The failure to implement the recommendations on the agreement only serves to exacerbate already-existing tensions which serves no purpose.

Jennifer McCann added:

During our visit to Maghaberry we met with prisoners in Roe House and listened intently to their accounts of conditions and Prison Service practice. It will be to everyone’s benefit – prisoners and prison staff – that the ongoing concerns are addressed and done without any further delay.

The situation in the prison is tense and there is real need for the prison administration to move on this issue. All prisoners need to be treated with dignity and respect.