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ICPA Event

ICPA 2026 Annual Conference

25 – 30 October 2026 + Add to calendar Belfast, Northern Ireland
 
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Friday 30th October 2026

The Northern Ireland Prison Service, in collaboration with the Irish Prison Service, has arranged four prison facilities that participants can choose from. These facilities include Northern Ireland’s only high security facility and a joint facility for young males and female prisoners.

For those staying on after the conference you can indicate which facility you would like to visit when registering online for this event, but please note that this is not a booking - you can only sign-up at the venue. Please note that spaces are limited.  

Schedule

  • Maghaberry Prison visit times: 9.30 AM - 12 noon.
    • All buses depart at 8.30am from Conference Centre, Belfast
  • Magilligan Prison visit times: 9.30 AM – 12 noon.
    • Bus departs at 8.00am from Conference Centre, Belfast
  • Hydebank Wood Secure College & Women’s Prison visit times: 9.30 AM – 12 noon.
    • Bus departs at 8.45am from Conference Centre, Belfast
  • Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre visit times: 9.30 AM – 12 noon.
    • Bus departs at 9.00am from Conference Centre, Belfast
  • Mountjoy Prison visit times: 10 AM – 12.30 PM.
    • Bus departs at 7.30am from Conference Centre, Belfast

Further details on approximate return times are provided below.

Maghaberry Prison

Maghaberry is a largest of Northern Ireland’s three custodial facilities.  It is a modern high security prison, which accommodates over 1,400 adult male long-term, sentenced and remand prisoners, in both separated and integrated conditions. Maghaberry provides person centred support to those committed to custody, allowing them to gain or build on their existing Educational and Vocational skills and offering the opportunity to engage in offence and rehabilitative focused work. There is an emphasis on positive family contact and there are a number of programmes run in conjunction with voluntary community based organisations to assist men in custody to become better parents and strengthen their links with their families whilst they are in custody. This assists with their reintegration on release.

Maghaberry is located near Lisburn, which is approximately 25 miles from Belfast City Centre.

  • Visit One (25 people) – this will include a tour of old and new accommodation facilities and prisoner workshops.
  • Visit Two (25 People) – this will include a demonstration of security techniques in our main emergency training facility, and access to our prisoner transport fleet, including those which use synthetic diesel (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) as part of the Northern Ireland Prison Service’s ecofriendly policies.
  • Visit Three (25 people) – this will include a tour of the ‘Mourne Complex’ which accommodates long-serving prisoners.

Buses depart at 8.30am from Conference Centre, Belfast – returning to the Conference Centre at approximately 1.30pm.

Magilligan Prison

Recently described as ‘one of the best prisons in the United Kingdom’, Magilligan is a medium-security prison for a range of adult male prisoners, which includes low-security accommodation for selected prisoners nearing the end of their sentences. It accommodates around 500 prisoners and is located near Limavady, which is approximately 70 miles from Belfast. You will the opportunity to visit a range of accommodation areas and industrial workshops which support the Prison Service and local communities.

The visit to Magilligan starts at 9.30 AM and finishes at 12 noon. Bus departs at 8.00am from Conference Centre, Belfast – returning to the Conference Centre at approximately 2.00pm.

Hydebank Wood Secure College and Women’s Prison

Called a ‘model of excellence’ by independent inspectors, Hydebank is a medium to low security establishment accommodating young males (18-24 years old) and all female prisoners.  In 2015, Hydebank became a ‘secure college’ with a strong focus on learning and skills, having previously acted as a Young Offenders Centre.  At Hydebank, the Prison Service also operates the Prison Service College, which trains both recruits and serving operational grades. Hydebank is located on the outskirts of South Belfast, approximately seven miles from Belfast City Centre. Your visit will highlight the person centred and whole College approach to delivering bespoke rehabilitative interventions.

The visit to Hydebank starts at 9.30 AM and finishes at 12 noon. Bus departs at 8.45am from Conference Centre, Belfast – returning to the Conference Centre at approximately 1.00pm.

Youth Justice Agency

Wodlands Juvenile Justice Centre is Northern Ireland’s only secure custodial facility for children aged 10 to 17, located in Bangor, Co. Down. It provides a safe, child-centred environment for up to 48 boys and girls on remand or sentenced by courts, focusing on rehabilitation, education, and health services to prevent re-offending and aid community reintegration.

Bus departs at 9.00am from Conference Centre, Belfast – returning to the Conference Centre at approximately 1.00pm.

Irish Prison Service

Mountjoy Prison (60 people)

Mountjoy Prison is a closed, medium security prison for adult males and females. It is also the main committal prison for Dublin city and county.  It is located is Dublin, which is approximately 100 miles from Belfast City Centre. For more information on the Irish Prison Service click here: https://www.irishprisons.ie

The visit to Mountjoy starts at 10.00am and finishes at 12.30pm. The Irish Prison Service will facilitate visits to three separate areas within the Mountjoy Campus, accommodating a maximum of 60 participants across all visits.

  • Dóchas Centre – Female Prison (20 people)

The Dóchas Centre is one of two of Ireland’s women’s prison and provides accommodation for sentenced and remand female prisoners. Opened in 1999, the centre operates with a strong emphasis on dignity, care, rehabilitation, education, and family contact, supporting women in custody to prepare for reintegration into the community.

  • Mountjoy Main Prison (20 people)

Mountjoy Main Prison is a closed, medium security prison for adult males and serves as the main committal prison for Dublin city and county. The visit will provide an overview of prison operations, accommodation areas, services, and rehabilitative supports delivered within one of Ireland’s oldest and most significant custodial institutions.

  • Mountjoy Older Persons Unit (20 people)

The Older Persons Unit provides dedicated accommodation and supports for prisoners with age-related and complex care needs. The unit is designed to promote safety, dignity, healthcare access, and specialised supports for older prisoners within the custodial environment.

Coach departs at 7.30am from Conference Centre, Belfast. This will include a stop on the return journey at Dublin International Airport at approximately 1.30pm. The Coach will then return to the Conference Centre, Belfast at approximately 4.00pm.