|
|
Foyle ferry director
slates prison plans
13.12.07
THE director of the
Lough Foyle Ferry Company in Greencastle has slated
plans for a new £200m prison at Magilligan Point.
Jim McClenaghan said one of the North West's most
beautiful tourism areas was already marred when
Magilligan Prison was built 35 years ago.
He said if the Assembly closed the prison and built
the new one in a less environmentally sensitive
region, they could recapture the tourism potential
of Magilligan coast. |
|
"You have one of the
most beautiful spots in Northern Ireland tied up
with a prison. You have one of the longest beaches
in all of Ireland with two-thirds of it closed,"
said Mr. McClenaghan, whose Foyle Venture carries
tourists and other commuters from Greencastle to
Magilligan |
 |
every day.
He also said Magilligan Point would be ideal as a
golf course, making his comments in light of recent
attempts by the First Minister Ian Paisley to
attract US tycoon Donald Trump to build his planned
golf course in the North.
The Assembly is expected to officially announce the
new £200m prison at Magilligan Point next week.
They have admitted, however, that the location is
not their ideal choice, but one they can afford.
Its remote location - 71 miles from Belfast - makes
visitor access difficult.
Around 80 acres is needed for the new prison.
East Derry MP Gregory Campbell says the area needs
the jobs the prison can provide. Currently, more
than 400 people work there.
He said nearly 1,300 jobs will be lost next year
with the combined closure of the Seagate factory,
the Ballykelly army base and 70 redundancies at Huco
electronics.
"That's nearly 1,300 jobs going in the Limavady
area, or the equivalent of around 13,000 job losses
losses in Belfast, something that would cause
absolute outrage," said Mr. Campbell.
"It would be a disaster for this whole area if the
prison is located somewhere else and that is
something the Government must consider." |
|
