Beverley Wall takes up new post as director general of Northern Ireland Prison Service

Beverley Wall has taken up the post in the Department of Justice from today (Monday).

Ms Wall has previous experience of working in a wide range of policy and operational leadership positions within the Northern Ireland civil service.

She said: “I am delighted and privileged to take up the post of Director General of the Prison Service.

"I am looking forward to meeting with the staff and our partners, to hear first-hand about the opportunities and challenges facing our prisons.

“I am committed to ensuring prisons remain a modern and progressive service, and one that focuses on delivering for the staff who are at its heart, and for those within our care.”

Permanent Secretary at the Department of Justice, Richard Pengelly CB said: “I am delighted to welcome Beverley to the Department and to the role of Director General of the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

“Beverley brings with her a wealth of experience and knowledge that will enable her to build on the great work already done within the prison system and to deliver the best service possible for those in its care and for wider society.”

Ms Wall replaces Ronnie Armour who is expected to move positions following a re-organisation within senior levels of the civil service.

Mr Armour joined the Northern Ireland civil service in 1983 and is poised to become the deputy permanent secretary at the Department of Education.

Earlier this month, Mr Armour revealed that pressures at Maghaberry Prison will continue for some time as the prisoner population hits record levels.

His comments were made after a Criminal Justice Inspection and HM Inspector of Prisons report found a "serious drug problem" at the prison, as well as significant areas for improvement in the delivery of education, skills and work activities.

He said: “When Inspectors last visited Maghaberry in 2018, the population was 830, when they returned in October 2022 that had risen to 1,050 and this week the Maghaberry population stands at 1,230 men, of whom over half are being held on remand and therefore do not have to engage in rehabilitative work.

“While it is important that we don’t seek to make excuses for the decline in service delivery at the Prison since the pandemic, no-one should underestimate the pressures prison staff are currently facing.

"It is important to recognise the exceptional work staff undertake with some of the most complex, challenging and dangerous members of our community.

“Like our hospitals, ambulance service, police and other front-line services, the current demands placed on prison officers is unprecedented.

"We are not complacent about the issues Inspectors have raised, indeed we are determined to address them, however it is important to recognise that due to the context in which we are operating in, this is likely to be the case for some time to come."

However, the report concluded that “most prisoners felt safe, the number of recorded violent incidents had reduced since the last inspection and was lower than in similar prisons, and most use of force was low level and its governance was good.”