New northern Ireland prisoner ombudsman named
Tom McGonigle, a Criminal Justice Inspector, is to be the new Northern Ireland Prisoner Ombudsman.
The £58,400-a-year appointment was confirmed today by the Justice Minister David Ford. Mr McGonigle takes over from Pauline McCabe at the beginning of next month.
Mr McGonigle, 56, joined the Northern Ireland Probation Service in 1980 where he worked in a variety of custodial and community settings.
He became deputy director of St Patrick’s Juvenile Justice Centre in 1996, and joined crime reduction organisation Niacro as director of operations in 2000.
Since becoming a Criminal Justice Inspector in 2003 he has led on inspections of adult and child custody, probation, offender hostels, public protection and the voluntary sector’s contribution to Northern Ireland’s criminal justice system.
He holds a Certificate of Qualification in Social Work, an MA in Social Anthropology and a BA in Irish Studies. He was the UK Fulbright Public Affairs Fellow for 2010 and is a member of the Conference on European Probation’s international register of experts.
The Prisoner Ombudsman investigates complaints from prisoners in Northern Ireland and their visitors, as well as deaths in custody.
He is supported by a team of investigators and other support staff.
Mr Ford said the role was a challenging and vital one.
He added: “Tom McGonigle’s appointment will support the continued development of this important position. I am confident that he will bring his extensive experience and skills to the role and build on the excellent work of his predecessor.”
