Longford based Director General of Irish Prison Service honoured with DCU Alumni Award

Longford based Director General of the Irish Prison Service, Caron McCaffrey, has been honoured with a DCU Alumni Award.

The DCU Alumni Awards honour alumni who, through their exceptional ability and leadership, have achieved excellence in their chosen fields of endeavour.

Caron McCaffrey is the first woman to hold the position of Director General of the Irish Prison Service. 
 

Caron has devoted her career to public service with over two decades of experience in the justice sector. 

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She worked initially in the Department of Justice and Equality which she joined in 2000, before joining the Irish Prison Service in 2006 as Press and Programme Manager. 
 

In 2008, Caron took the role of Director of Corporate Services and held responsibility for a range of portfolios including Human Resources, Finance and Estates over the following decade, prior to her appointment as Director General in 2018. 
 

Her role now involves responsibility for the leadership, management, and strategic direction of the Irish Prison Service, which operates 13 prisons and employs over 3,500 staff with a budget of €525 million.

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Under her direction, the Service is committed to providing safe and secure custody, upholding the dignity of care, and promoting the rehabilitation of prisoners to contribute to safer communities across Ireland. 
 

In addition to her role as Director General, Caron serves as President of EuroPris, the European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services, having joined its board in 2019.

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The aim of the organisation is to improve cooperation among European Prison and Correctional Services, to improve the lives of prisoners and their families, enhancing public safety and security; reducing re-offending; and advancing professionalism in the prisons’ field.

Caron is an active proponent of lifelong continuing education with postgraduate qualifications in Law and Corporate Governance which underpin her approach to leadership which exemplifies innovation, dedication, and a commitment to excellence in one of the most challenging areas of public service.

Caption: DCU President Daire Keogh with Caron McCaffrey, (MA International Relations, 1999), Director General of Irish Prison Service and President of European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services (EUROPRIS)

The achievements of Caron and seven other exceptional graduates were celebrated at a special ceremony in The Helix on DCU’s Glasnevin campus.

DCU President Prof Dáire Keogh told the awardees: “You may come from diverse fields and backgrounds but what you have in common are some key traits. You are leaders, doers, innovators and change-makers. What you share is a track record of putting the DCU values and mission into action, transforming lives and societies.”

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Ross Munnelly, Director of Alumni Relations at DCU, said, “Our alumni represent the strong values and high expectations of the university. Each awardee through their own contribution helps to make the world and society a better place for us all. We have seen this through their achievements to date, they are proven leaders and who continue to inspire the next generation of graduates at DCU. We look forward to welcoming them back to campus regularly and wish them even more success in the future.”

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