COMMITTEE FOR JUSTICE

PRESS RELEASE

9 June 2010

JUS 03/09/10

COMMITTEE PUTS PRISON ISSUES TOP OF THE AGENDA

The Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Justice has put prison issues at the top of its agenda after briefings from Prison Service officials and the Criminal Justice Inspectorate. Following the briefings the Committee has been left in no doubt of the problems facing the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

Committee Chairman Lord Morrow MLA, said: “The briefings the Committee received recently raised a number of issues with which the Committee is very concerned. These include the cost of keeping a prisoner here and findings in relation to Maghaberry Prison which highlighted significantly poor performance across a range of areas.

“As part of its work the Committee will be visiting prisons over the coming months. The first of our visits is to Maghaberry today where we will tour the prison and talk to staff, prisoners and management.

“The Committee is very aware that the Prison Service and its staff operate in a challenging environment. However, progress needs to be made quickly to address the acute problems highlighted in recent Inspection reports, reduce the cost of keeping a prisoner and improve the contribution the Service makes to reducing levels of reoffending.”

Ends.

Notes to Editors:

The Chairman of the Committee is Lord Morrow MLA.

The Deputy Chairman is Raymond McCartney MLA.

Mr Jonathan Bell MLA
Rt Hon Jeffrey Donaldson MP MLA
Mr Tom Elliott MLA
Mr Alban Maginness MLA
Mr Conall McDevitt MLA
Mr David McNarry MLA
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
Mr John O'Dowd MLA
Mr Alastair Ross MLA

All enquiries regarding the work of the Committee should be directed to the Committee Clerk:

Christine Darrah
Room 242, Parliament Buildings,
Ballymiscaw, Stormont, Belfast, BT4 3XX
Telephone: (028) 9052 1629
Fax: (028) 9052 1371
E-mail: committee.justice@niassembly.gov.uk

Media enquiries to:

Jennifer Pleavin
Communications Officer
Northern Ireland Assembly
Phone: 028 9052 1606
Mobile : 07502 379339
Email: jennifer.pleavin@niassembly.gov.uk

Sinead Murphy
Deputy Communications Officer
Northern Ireland Assembly
Phone: 028 9052 5938
Mobile : 07899 864368
Email: sinead.murphy@niassembly.gov.uk