Mountjoy Prison governor to retire

One of the country’s longest serving prison governors, John Lonergan, is to retire from Mountjoy next month, it was confirmed today.

Mr Lonergan’s career in the Irish Prison Service (IPS) spans more than 40 years.

In a statement, the IPS said: “John Lonergan, governor of Mountjoy Prison, has notified of his intention to retire with effect of June 5.

“The Director General of the Prison Service would like to thank the governor for his 42 years of service and wishes him well on his retirement.”

Mr Lonergan’s decision to retire comes less than a month after his colleague in the woman’s prison, Kathleen McMahon, announced plans to step down.

The former governor of the Dochas Centre, housed next door to Mountjoy, claimed the Prison Service was undermining her views on prisoners’ rights, such as temporary release of low-risk inmates.

A spokesman for Justice Minster Dermot Ahern added: "The minister also wishes him well in retirement."