Almost 560 prisoners on temporary release

ALMOST 560 violent criminals are on temporary release from prison, figures obtained by Freedom of Information show.

Of the 558 prisoners, the majority are male (426), while 132 are women, according to the figures from the Irish Prison Service. The figures are as June 23, 2025.

Attempted murderers, burglars, violent criminals and fraudsters are being routinely afforded temporary release.

Controlled drugs offences accounts for the largest number of male prisoners on temporary release, at 124. Theft and related offences make up the highest offence for female prisoners (54).

Forty-five prisoners on temporary release committed attempts threat to murder, assaults, harassment and other offences. According to the figures, 36 are male prisoners, nine are female.

The stark figures have prompted Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú to call on the Irish Prison Service to end temporary release for violent criminals.

The MEP criticised prison authorities for releasing prisoners with charge sheets for violent crimes such as attempted murder and other violent offences.

Ms Ní Mhurchú has described the figures provided to her by Irish prison authorities as “truly shocking”. She said temporary release should only be considered in limited circumstances for non-violent offenders, and not in the widespread way it is being implemented today.

She has welcomed a focus by Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan on building new prison places. In June, Minister O’Callaghan announced an accelerated plan to deliver almost 1,000 additional prison spaces across the country including 150 additional spaces at Castlerea Prison, 180 new places at the Midlands Prison, and 150 more at Mountjoy Prison in Dublin. Wheatfield Prison will gain 100 additional spaces, while the Dóchas Centre, the country’s main women’s prison facility, will see an expansion of 50 spaces.

The Minister also announced in July of this year that he had secured funding of €2.180 billion under the National Development Plan (NDP) for major capital projects in the Justice sector from 2026-2030. This is an increase of some €800 million on the previous NDP in 2021.