Colin McConnell intends to implement widespread reform of NI prisons New governors have been appointed to Northern Ireland’s Maghaberry and Magilligan Prisons by the director general of the prison service.
Colin McConnell has also appointed a deputy governor to manage the women’s section at Hydebank.
The move comes weeks before the initial report of a major prisons review ordered by Justice Minister David Ford.
Mr Ford said one of his priorities would be reform of the prison service, which had more staff than prisoners.
Colin McConnell, who took up his post earlier this month, said the appointments would “position the service to move forward quickly as it prepares to undertake widespread reform”.
The new governor at Maghaberry will be Pat Maguire, with Austin Treacy appointed as deputy governor.
Alan Longwell will take up the post of governor at Magilligan Prison.
“As a departure from the current management arrangements, governors of our three prisons will report directly to me and will be measured against the challenging objectives I set them”
Colin McConnell Director General NI Prison Service
Mr McConnell said his new staff have confirmed that they were committed to “driving through the necessary reforms we must undertake.”
“It is important that as we move forward as a service, the vision of senior management is shared, owned and delivered throughout the wider prison service,” he said.
“To make this happen, and as a departure from the current management arrangements, governors of our three prisons will report directly to me and will be measured against the challenging objectives I set them.
“This new level of accountability underlines our commitment to change and become a more efficient, effective and delivery-focused service.”
Mr McConnell said that later in the year he would launch a recruitment campaign aimed at attracting graduates as future senior prison managers.
He said it would be the first time in 20 years that external recruitment to the governor grade had taken place in Northern Ireland.
Dame Anne Owers was asked last year to conduct the review after a series of reports were strongly critical of the penal system in Northern Ireland.
Her team is expected to produce an initial report followed by more comprehensive recommendations before the summer.
A report published just before Christmas said industrial relations in Maghaberry Prison near Lisburn were “destructive” despite there being more staff working in prisons than there were inmates to supervise.
It also detailed how it was two-and-a-half times more expensive to house prisoners in Northern Ireland than elsewhere in the UK.
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