Michael Donnellan was appointed Director General of the Irish Prison Service, by the Minister for Justice and Equality, with effect from 5th December, 2011.

Prior to his appointment, as Director General, Michael served as Director of the Probation Service from 2005.  Before this he served as Director of two children detention schools in Dublin. He has previous experience in health and social services in Ireland and London.   

Michael spent his early career working within adult psychiatry before specialising in child and adolescent psychiatry. He worked in inner city London as a Social Worker, and then as Manager of Brixton Child Guidance Unit, before returning to Ireland in 1994.