Over 1,600 Prisoners Granted Temporary Release in First Half of 2026

More than 1,600 prisoners were given temporary release in the first half of 2026, according to figures released under Freedom of Information legislation.

The Irish Prison Service reported 1,628 temporary releases, compared with 2,150 for the whole of 2021. Among those released were inmates serving sentences for homicide, sexual offences, kidnapping and weapons offences, including four convicted of homicide and two of kidnapping.

Ten prisoners who had been serving sentences for more than a decade were also granted brief periods of freedom. Roughly 48.4% of those released were serving sentences of less than a year.

Gardaí and prison officials say the releases aim to aid rehabilitation and community reintegration, with some prisoners allowed leave to register on social‑housing lists. However, concerns have been raised that temporary release is being used to ease chronic overcrowding, with prisons operating at 114% capacity as of 9 October.

Saoirse Brady, executive director of the Irish Penal Reform Trust, described the practice as a “stopgap measure”. Sinn Féin justice spokesperson Matt Carthy called the figures “very concerning” and urged Minister Jim O’Callaghan to assure the public that releases are not driven solely by overcrowding.

Overcrowding issues are most acute at Mountjoy Prison in Dublin, which recorded 427 temporary releases, and Cork Prison with 194.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: Ravish Maqsood / Pexels.