Dr. Charles Larkin
Charles Larkin, (Discip. Schol.) B.A., Ph.D. [TCD] is Director of Research at the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Bath. He is also Chair of the Governing Body/Board of Trustees of Technological University Dublin and President of Accounting Technicians Ireland. He was previously special advisor to the Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Health, Dr. Michael Harty, TD (Ind.) and to Senator Sean Barrett (Ind.) of the Irish Senate.
Dr. Larkin is also an adjunct assistant professor at Trinity College Dublin, Johns Hopkins University and the Institute of Public Administration (Dublin). Dr. Larkin has authored several items of Irish legislation and over 70 scholarly articles, most especially in the areas of finance, cryptocurrencies and public policy economics.
PROFESSOR KEVIN DOMINIC BROWNE
B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc., M.Ed., Ph.D., C.Psychol (Foren), C.Biol., C.Sci.
HCPC Registered Forensic Psychology Practitioner and EuroPsy Psychologist
Biography as at 1st December 2024.
Prof. Kevin Browne is Chair of Forensic Psychology and Child Health, as well as Director of the Centre for Forensic and Family Psychology at the University of Nottingham’s School of Medicine. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Biology (FRSB) and is registered with the Health Care and Professions Council (HCPC No. PYL 03040) as a forensic psychology practitioner. He is also a Chartered Forensic Psychologist and Chartered Scientist with the British Psychological Society (BPS No. 22210) and holds a European Practicing Certificate in Psychology. In addition, he is listed in the Expert Witness Register of Chartered Psychologists under the auspices of the British Psychological Society (BPS). In 2019, he was the recipient of the BPS Research Excellence in Forensic Psychology Award for exceptional quality and quantity of his research work (H-Index = 64).
He first held academic appointments at the University of Surrey (1978 to 1984), University of Leicester (1985 to 1990) and the University of Birmingham (1991 to 1997) before being appointed as Professor and Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre in Child Care and Protection at the School of Psychology, University of Birmingham from 1998 to 2006. He then became the Chair of Forensic and Child Psychology at the School of Psychology, University of Liverpool (2007 to 2009). In February 2009, he joined the University of Nottingham and set up the Centre for Forensic and Family Psychology. He became Head of the Institute for Work, Health & Organisations (I-WHO) in August 2010 until it was incorporated into the School of Medicine, Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology in September 2013. This Centre is recognised Nationally and Internationally as a Centre of excellence for forensic psychology research and professional (practitioner) training in Forensic Psychology.
National Work: Professor Browne is known best for his active involvement in the development of standards of education and training of forensic psychologists for BPS and the HCPC. Since 2010, he has been programme director at the University of Nottingham for three postgraduate professionally accredited (HCPC & BPS) forensic psychology training programmes (MSc – stage 1 training, Top up D.Foren.Psy– stage 2 training and Full prog. D.Foren.Psy – stage 1 & 2 training).
Before his international work developed, he was involved with the assessment and treatment of young offenders and was contracted half time by the Department of Health as co-ordinator of research and evaluation for the Youth Treatment Service in England from 1992 to 1999. During this time, his Home Office sponsored investigations into the effects of media violence on young offenders became nationally recognised and he was invited to become a member of the British Board of Film Classification Consultancy Council.
Professor Browne has given expert testimony to UK Government select committees on effects of media violence and pornography, knife crime, child trafficking, and child poverty and to the Netherlands Government special committee on Sexual Abuse of children. Recently, he has acted as a scientific advisor to the Governments of Czechia, Finland, Germany, Portugal. He is very familiar with both international legislation (eg; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989) and National Legislation in the UK (eg; Children Act, 2004, Sex Offences Act, 2003 etc) and has been an expert witness in several Child’s-Rights and asylum seeking cases in the UK. At present, he is a member of the Lords and Commons Family and Child Protection Group (LCFCPG) at Westminster.
Forensic psychology practice: Prof. Browne’s areas of expertise are concerned with the psychological assessment of violent and sexual offenders and their victims, the assessment of online sexual offences, assessment of parents and their children (eg; abuse, neglect and failure to protect cases), the assessment of risk for antisocial and violent criminal behaviour in young people, including knife crime. He is invited regularly to act as an expert witness and produce psychological reports for both Criminal and Family Courts in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. He also offers advice and consultancy to legal proceedings, health and social service agencies, government departments, non-governmental organisations, international societies and agencies of the United Nations.
Research Interests: Professor Browne’s research concentrates on the application of ‘Attachment theory’ to social interactions and their pathology with special emphasis on the development of violent and antisocial behaviour in children and teenagers. This has involved studies on the concept of ‘victim to offender’ and the intergenerational continuity of family violence, intimate partner violence (IPV) and child abuse and neglect. He has carried out several international studies on adverse childhood experiences and the developmental effects of children growing up in residential care. He advocates substitute (kinship, foster and domestic adoption) family care to ameliorate adverse outcome for children separated from their parents.
International work: Since 1999, he has acted as consultant to the European Commission, UNICEF, WHO and the World Bank and has worked in over 50 countries on the transforming and di-institutionalising children’s services worldwide and systems to prevent child abuse, neglect and abandonment. At the invitation of EU & DfID, he was responsible for removing 4000 children from residential care institutions into family-based care in Romania between 2003 and 2006, whilst acting as chair of the ‘High Level Group for Romanian children’ on behalf of the prime minister’s office. However, he views his most significant achievement as providing research evidence on the harm to young children living in residential care institutions to the UN General Assembly in October 2009. This culminated in UN Guidelines (endorsed by 193 member states) that no child less than 3 years old should be placed in a residential care setting without a parent and that substitute family-based care must be a priority for all children.
Currently in 2024, he is still implementing these principles, as a registered consultant to UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, working with unaccompanied and separated children arriving in Czechia, having fled the war zone in Ukraine. This summer he was also invited by ‘Afecto’ and ‘SOS villages for children’ to work on family-based care in Bogota, Colombia. Last month, he was invited to address Judges in Athens and Dublin on the prevention of juvenile delinquency and knife crime where he took the opportunity to promote, adolescent mental health services and diversionary foster care for young people who have committed serious offences.
Books Include:
Browne, K.D., Craig, L. and Beech, A. Eds. (2017) Assessments in Forensic Practice: A Handbook. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
Craig, L., Lindsay, W.R. and Browne, K. D. Eds. (2010) Assessment and Treatment of Sexual Offenders with Learning Disabilities. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
Browne, K.D. (2009). The Risk of Harm to Young Children in Institutional Care. London: Save the Children UK (hard copy publication) & New York: UNICEF Better Care Network (online publication available in several languages).
Beech, T., Craig, L. and Browne, K.D. Eds. (2009) Assessment and Treatment of Sexual Offenders: A Handbook. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
Craig, L., Browne, K.D. and Beech, A. (2008) Assessing Risk in Sex Offenders: A Practitioners Guide. Chichester: Wiley.
Browne, K.D., Douglas, J., Hamilton-Giachritsis, C.E., and Hegarty, J. (2006) A Community Health Approach to the Assessment of Infants and their Parents: The CARE programme. Chichester: Wiley (Translated into Japanese).
Browne, K.D., Hanks, H., Stratton, P. and Hamilton, C.E. (2002). Early Prediction and Prevention of Child Abuse: A Handbook. Chichester: Wiley. (Wiley Series on Child Care and Protection – Eds. K. Browne and M. Lynch) April 2002.
Browne, K.D., and Herbert, M. (1997) ‘Preventing Family Violence’. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell (translated into Chinese and Japanese).
Browne, K.D. and Archer, J. Eds (1989) ‘Human Aggression: Naturalistic Approaches’ London: Routledge.
Dr. Catriona O’Toole
Catriona O'Toole is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Professor at the Maynooth University Department of Education, specializing in trauma-informed education, school engagement, and the well-being of students and educators. An internationally recognized expert in her field, Catriona has earned accolades for her pioneering work that bridges research and practice, and her contributions to shaping compassionate, inclusive educational environments.
As the developer of the EMBRACE Framework for Trauma-Informed Care in Schools, she provides a research-driven guide that supports both educators and researchers in addressing the challenges of trauma within the school context. Catriona’s expertise has led to impactful collaborations with global organizations such as UNESCO's Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) and national bodies like Kyrie Therapeutic Farm and Alcohol Action Ireland, with whom she co-created the resource website traumainformededucation.ie.
Catriona also plays an active leadership role in key international and national initiatives. She is a member of the Executive Committee of the International Network for School Attendance (INSA), where she chairs the Education and Policy Committee, and she serves as the Link Convenor for the Health and Wellbeing Education Network within the European Educational Research Association (EERA). Locally, she represents her expertise on the Kildare Children and Young People’s Services Committee (CYPSC) and contributes to the Trauma and Adversity Special Interest Group (TASIG) within the Psychological Society of Ireland.
Dr. Catherine Norton
Dr. Catherine Norton is a Consultant Neuropsychologist and Clinical Director at Mental Perk Psychological Services
Chartered Member of the Psychological Society of Ireland.
She has worked in the Irish health care system for over twenty years and has been in private practice since 2016. As clinical director at Mental Perk Psychological Services, Dr. Norton has worked extensively in the Irish legal system providing expert reports in matters relating to family law, criminal and civil cases. Dr. Norton was involved in one of the first cases of coercive control to be heard at the High Court in Ireland. Dr. Norton developed the successful suicidal ideation treatment programme, Just Use Mental Protection (JUMP).
Dr. Norton is also co-director of MindPieces education and training, a training and education platform for professionals, that funded and organised the first international conference in Ireland on ‘Rethinking Justice’ Alternatives to Custody for Juvenile Sexual Offenders currently before the courts and those that were juveniles at the time of their historical offending, that was held at University College Dublin in 2023. The aim of the ‘Rethinking Justice’ project is to merge expertise from both the legal, psychological and associated professionals, to examine how we might work together to reduce offending behaviour and recidivism in Ireland.
Dr Norton is a graduate of the School of Psychology University College Dublin and has presented both in Ireland and abroad on a range of psychological topics. Dr. Norton has worked with the child and family agency (Tusla) providing neuropsychological assessments, court reports and psychoeducation plans to assist families impacted by addictions and trauma. Dr Norton has continued to study and is currently completing a masters in forensic psychology. One of her research projects is focused on the intermediary and support services available in Ireland for individuals accused of sexual offending behaviours. Another area of research is the potential trauma experienced by those who give their time to jury service.
Dr. Noelle Martin
Senior Clinical Psychologist in Limerick Prison,
(working across both the male and female prisons).
My interest in trauma and crime, began during my undergraduate degree in Applied Psychology in UCC, where I completed research on "The effects of Parents and Peers on Adolescent Antisocial Behaviour". and also, The Cycle of Violence. Since then, I have worked across a number of areas including Youth Probation Services, Autism Services in Ireland and Australia, Disability Services, Mental Health Services, Child and Family Services, and in research. I returned to university to complete a MSc in Health Psychology in NUIG, followed by a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in NUIG. Since then, I have worked in the HSE, and the Irish Prison Service.
Ms. Mary Mc Dermott - SAFE Ireland
Mary McDermott is CEO of Safe Ireland and Adjunct Professor at the School of Applied Social Studies in University College Cork. Her work focuses on identifying patterns of coercion based on sex, gender and sexuality, on developing domestic violence-focused national infrastructures, and on supporting the work of the victim-survivor centred Domestic Violence Frontline Services Sector.
Ms. Shelia Crowley – Ruhama
Sheila started her career working with young people who were on probation or temporary release from prison. She realised during this time that many of the young people she met had difficult childhood experiences and carried this as trauma through their lives. Sheila then spent eight years working with people who experienced acute mental health difficulties and again this helped shape her belief that being human carries with it, the burden of being hurt, often as a child or adolescent. She went on to work with people who sell sex or have been forced to sell sex, with a particular interest in how the sex industry can exacerbate trauma. The combination of her experience and study has paved the way for her work as an integrative trauma therapist, that is a therapist who sees the whole person, acknowledging their pain and trauma while encouraging their worth and value and supporting recovery.
Qualifications
Dip. Eating Disorders
Dip. Trauma Psychotherapy
M.A. Psychotherapy
H. Dip Counselling Psychotherapy
H. Dip Management – Voluntary Sector
M.A. Philosophy – Gender and Women’s Studies
B.A. Community Studies
Certificate Fitness & Health Studies
Morgan Shelly BL
Morgan Shelley is a barrister in practice since 2006. He is a member of the editorial board of the Bar Review and a former member of the Mental Health Tribunal.
Lee-Ann Purcell – Solicitor
Legal Advisor to Tusla - Child and Family Agency
Lee-Ann is a graduate of the University of Limerick (2002) and entered the Roll of Solicitors in 2007. Having specialised initially in Family Law practice Lee-Ann moved into the Community and Voluntary sector and worked for 5 years as CEO of a community-based organisation in Limerick and thereafter in a leadership role working with prisoners and their families.
Lee-Ann returned to private practice and specialised for 5 years in Criminal Law representing clients from Garda Station detentions all the way to trial. Holding a particular interest in Garda Station detentions Lee-Ann undertook bespoke training being the Supralat Masterclass hosted by the Law Society and DCU. This Masterclass built on the European Commission DG Justice funded SUPRALAT project “Strengthening suspects' rights in pre-trial proceedings through practice-oriented training for lawyers,” which was successfully piloted in 2018. She now works in the Office of Legal Services in house in Tusla. She has previously been Chairperson of Adapt Services in Limerick and is currently a Board member of the NorthStar Family Project and Changing Ireland magazine.
Dr. Laura Farrugia
Dr Laura Farrugia is an Assistant Professor at Northumbria University, UK. She also works as a Registered Intermediary where she assists police forces in England and Wales when interviewing vulnerable victims and witnesses to ensure they provide their best evidence. Her research expertise relates to vulnerability, police interviewing of victims, witnesses and suspects, and confessions and she has published extensively in this area. She has provided training to international and national organisations regarding how best to interview those who are vulnerable.
Keith Harbottle
Keith Harbottle has over 25 years’ experience of working in a police force in England and Wales. He has a wealth of experience in interviewing individuals involved in serious and complex abuse of vulnerable individuals. Formerly, a national accredited Detective in PIP Level 2 and Specialist Child Abuse Investigator, he has vast experience in interviewing vulnerable individuals from a victim, witness and suspect perspective involved in serious and complex cases. He regularly provides expert consultancy to organisations in England and Wales.
Patrick Ryan
Lawrence Jones
Currently employed as a clinical and forensic consultant psychologist, head of the clinical and forensic psychology service at Rampton Hospital Nottinghamshire healthcare Trust. He has worked in community, prison and high secure hospital settings with people who have offended. He teaches on the Nottingham D. Foren. Psych. and the Leicester and Sheffield D. Clin. Psych. courses.
He is an honorary associate (clinical) professor at Nottingham University. He is a former chair of the DFP and was involved in setting up the Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh divisions of the DFP. He has published on Therapeutic communities, motivation and engagement, working with people with personality disorder diagnoses who have offended, iatrogenic interventions, offence paralleling behaviour, working with people who have offended sexually, formulation, assessment, and trauma informed care in forensic settings. He has delivered invited workshops on offence paralleling behaviour, trauma informed work with people who offended, interventions with people with 'personality disorder' diagnoses, and motivation and engagement.
Andrew McCarthy
Mr. Andrew McCarthy is currently Governor in charge of Limerick Female Prison. He joined the Irish Prison Service in October 1987 and served a short period in Mountjoy Prison before transferring to Cork Prison in December 1987 where he served until 2016. Mr. McCarthy then transferred to Limerick Prison in 2016 where he has served as Chief Officer Work & Training, then Assistant Governor and now as Governor III in charge of the Female Prison.
As a dedicated public servant with a proven track record in the field of criminal justice, his goal as Governor has always been to bring transformative change to our Prison system, particularly for our female Prison’s population. Mr. McCarthy’s journey from Prison Officer to Governor has equipped him with the insights and experiences necessary to drive real reform.
Throughout his career, Mr. McCarthy has been unwavering in his commitment to trauma-informed care, understanding that many of the women in our Prisons have endured significant hardships and traumas. Mr. McCarthy’s approach to Prison reform emphasises the importance of creating a supportive environment that promotes healing and rehabilitation.
He spearheaded the development of a ground-breaking new prison layout that prioritises safety, dignity, and accessibility. This design includes trauma-informed spaces that allow for better mental health support, private visitation areas, and programming facilities geared towards skill development and personal growth.
Additionally, he implemented comprehensive staff training programmes focused on trauma-informed practices, equipping our Prison Officers to handle complex situations with empathy and understanding. Mr. McCarthy believes that by investing in his staff, acts, not only to enhance their ability to support the women in their care but also contributes to a safer and more respectful environment for all.
As Governor, Mr. McCarthy will continue to advocate for policies that prioritise rehabilitation, mental health support, and innovative Prison practices. Working together Mr. McCarthy believes we can create a criminal justice system that fosters healing and empowers women to reclaim their lives, contributing positively to our communities upon their release.
Maura Butler
Maura Butler, BA (Legal Science), LL.B, MSc IT in Education, is a retired solicitor and NGO Board member.
Maura's principle educational training was in UCG, Law Society of Ireland and TCD. She practised as a criminal defence solicitor in Dublin during the 80s and 90s, when she managed her own legal firm. She then worked in academia, delivering an LL.B programme and subsequently for 20 years in professional training of student solicitors in The Law Society of Ireland, focusing on Criminal Litigation and Trial Advocacy.
From 2020-22 Maura led the Department of Justice Study on Familicide & Domestic and Family Violence Death Reviews.
NGO engagement over the duration of Maura's career focused on equality rights for women and criminology. She is a retired chairperson of the Irish Women Lawyers Association, The National Women’s Council and The Association for Criminal Justice Research and Development (ACJRD).
Recently, Maura has become a member of the Advisory Board of the School of Law and Criminology, Maynooth University and an external member of TU Dublin University Ethics Committee.
Eddie Mullins
Eddie Mullins was employed by the Irish Prison Service (IPS) for over 32 years, during which time he acquired a deep understanding of the challenges faced by many people living on the margins of society.
During his time with the IPS, Eddie held a number of senior management positions culminating in the position of Governor of Mountjoy, Midlands and Wheatfield prisons. He developed strong relationships across both Government and the NGO sectors, including MQI teams in the prisons and has a unique understanding of the important role organisations like Merchants Quay Ireland carry out.
As both independent Chair of the Clondalkin Policing Forum and Board member of both Clondalkin Drug and Alcohol Task Force and PACE, Eddie gained a deep understanding of the challenges faced by organisations delivering much needed services to people on the margins of society.
In May 2023, Minister for Justice Simon Harris announced Eddie’s appointment as the new Chair of the Dublin North Inner City Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP).
Eddie took up the role of CEO of MQI at the end of August 2023 and is working to build on the success of Merchants Quay to date, to expand and collaborate further with all current and potential stakeholders and to continue to support the most vulnerable people in society as they navigate through the complexities associated with addiction, homelessness, and poor health.