Naomi Long

Max Murray CBE, who previously spent 37 years working for the Northern Ireland Prison Service and consults for the Council of Europe on criminal justice and prison reform in the Western Balkans, has been appointed as chair.

He is joined on the board by Patrick Barnes, Neil Bodger, Maureen Brunt, Jonny Byrne, Kieran Donaghy, Brian Ingram, Jackie Johnston, Maurice Keady, Angela Lloyd-Stevens, Catherine Magee, Bria Mongan and Eileen Patterson.

The new appointments include two legal professionals: Mr Keady, a solicitor and notary public who previously chaired the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), and Ms Lloyd-Stevens, a solicitor specialising in the public sector.

Announcing the appointments, justice minister Naomi Long said: “This is extremely important and valuable work because the Probation Board for Northern Ireland is an organisation that is involved at all stages of the criminal justice process.

“In addition to playing a key role in reducing crime and preventing re-offending through the effective supervision of people who have offended, PBNI delivers a number of justice priorities. These include tackling issues around domestic abuse, sexual and violent offences and implementing problem solving justice initiatives.

“I wish the new Board well in their vital role in supporting the organisation to continue its critical work of changing lives for safer communities.”

The Department of Justice recently consulted on proposals to shrink the Probation Board and rename it simply “Probation Northern Ireland”.