This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6955747.stm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
MPs express jail rebuild concerns MPs express jail rebuild concerns
(10 minutes later)
Prisons minister Paul Goggins has come under pressure from a committee of MPs not to discard the existing Magilligan prison site.Prisons minister Paul Goggins has come under pressure from a committee of MPs not to discard the existing Magilligan prison site.
Magilligan is to be replaced with a new £150m 1,000 cell jail.Magilligan is to be replaced with a new £150m 1,000 cell jail.
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Chairman, Sir Patrick Cormack, said there was concern about the criteria.Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Chairman, Sir Patrick Cormack, said there was concern about the criteria.
He said that a senior prison official told the committee one of the essential criteria was the new jail was within 30 miles of Belfast.He said that a senior prison official told the committee one of the essential criteria was the new jail was within 30 miles of Belfast.
As this would effectively rule out rebuilding on Magilligan as an option, Sir Patrick questioned the use of "biased criteria".As this would effectively rule out rebuilding on Magilligan as an option, Sir Patrick questioned the use of "biased criteria".
He said there were merits of rebuilding at Magilligan, including the proximity of the committed staff who work there and warned against lightly discarding such benefits.He said there were merits of rebuilding at Magilligan, including the proximity of the committed staff who work there and warned against lightly discarding such benefits.
"Perhaps the most overriding case for retaining a prison at Magilligan however is that the site is owned by the Prison Service and it would therefore be possible to phase the replacement over a carefully defined period thus spreading the inevitably large cost over a number of years," he said."Perhaps the most overriding case for retaining a prison at Magilligan however is that the site is owned by the Prison Service and it would therefore be possible to phase the replacement over a carefully defined period thus spreading the inevitably large cost over a number of years," he said.
"Prisons are not only about buildings."Prisons are not only about buildings.
"They are about the accumulated wisdom of staff, the links that are made with the surrounding community in relation to operational opportunities and resettlement and perhaps above all the morale of those committed staff who work there.""They are about the accumulated wisdom of staff, the links that are made with the surrounding community in relation to operational opportunities and resettlement and perhaps above all the morale of those committed staff who work there."
In a statement the Prison Service said a report on the options is currently being prepared and no decisions have been taken at this stage.