Gardaí hit out at plan to release 400 inmates a year

The biggest Garda association has joined crime victims’ groups in criticising the Government’s plan to release an extra 400 prisoners every year.

And the union representing probation officers — who are charged with managing the released inmates — has told the Irish Examiner that the staff and resources are not in place to run the scheme.

Alan Shatter, the justice minister, and Prison Service boss Michael Donnellan published a three-year plan which includes the annual early release of 400 inmates under a community return programme.