Prison Service accounts reveal third ‘square house’ may need to be reopened at prison
Tensions are rising in Maghaberry prison amid concerns the jail is “running hot and close to maximum capacity” over summer months, an MLA has said.
Former UUP leader Doug Beattie said prison service staff had raised concerns with him in recent days over the number of prisoners compared to staff at Maghaberry.
This comes just months after Justice Minister Naomi Long attributed a sharp rise in the number of attacks on prison officers to “crowding” in jails leading to “instability, incidents and violence”
Read more: Rare look inside Northern Ireland prison as it receives highest level at inspection
And in the most recent set of accounts published by the Northern Ireland Prison Service, it was revealed that two more facilities known as “square houses” have been opened amid the rise in the prison population.
The report, published earlier this month on the Department of Justice website, states that a “third and final” square house may need to be opened next year.
In a statement, UUP MLA Doug Beattie – his party’s spokesperson on Justice – said: “Over the last number of days, members of the Northern Ireland Prison Service have raised issues with me around the number of prisoners in HMP Maghaberry, around 1,400, and the low staff levels.
“This has created issues around increased lockdowns, more prisoners doubling up, reduced gym time and educational activities and is raising tensions. I would also be concerned that rehabilitation activities are being affected. All of this is raising tensions and increasing complaints from both prisoners and staff.”
He continued: “With Stormont on recess, it is important that the Department of Justice and the Justice Minister keep elected representatives informed about the situation. This is particularly important regarding our prisons; if HMP Maghaberry is running hot and close to maximum capacity, then the Minister needs to outline the plan if this is not eased over the summer months.”
A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Prison Service said: “The total prison population in Northern Ireland today is 2,113 including 815 prisoners (39%) being held on remand. The population at Maghaberry is 1,445, of which 723 (50%) are being held on remand. The number of prisoners sharing cells at Maghaberry is 550.
“The prison population in Northern Ireland has not yet exceeded available capacity, and we continue to prioritise safe, decent, and secure custody. Whilst the ability to deliver rehabilitation support to a population of this scale is under pressure the Prison Service is working with partners across the justice system to identify actions that can be taken to reduce the current population, with a particular focus on remand.
“Following approval from the Minister of Justice, the Prison Service recruited additional staff in response to the increasing prisoner population. On 23 June, 68 new officers completed their training and were deployed to Maghaberry, and to the Prisoner Escort and Court Custody Service. A further class of new recruits will be deployed to Maghaberry in two weeks. Every day prison staff perform their challenging roles with dedication and professionalism.”
In February this year, Justice Minister Naomi Long revealed that prison officers had been assaulted nearly 100 times in 2024.
The number of attacks has trebled in just four years – a figure described as “quite astonishing” by the DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley during an exchange in the Assembly chamber at Stormont.
Naomi Long said there were 32 assaults on staff in 2020, a figure that rose to 71 the following year. In 2022 there were 66 assaults recorded, followed by 59 in 2023 and last year the figure was 96. The Minister said the trebling in the number attacks from 2020 to 2024 is down to the size of the prison population.
The Minister said: “The Prison Service’s experience is that a higher population and crowding are the most significant factors contributing to prison instability, incidents and violence.”
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