Former prisoners get total of €1m ‘bus money’

Convicted criminals have been gifted more than €1m in ‘bus money’ to cover the cost of transport following their release from jail since 2009, new figures have revealed.

Prisoners are paid a daily cash allowance by the Irish Prison Service (IPS) while serving time behind bars, but may also receive bus money at the end of their custodial sentence.

A total of €1,040,431 was spent by the IPS on transport-related costs for prisoners upon their release between 2009 and 2015, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act.