Nearly 400 inmates at large in the last decade never returned to prison

Justice minister Jim O'Callaghan said most instances of inmates recorded as unlawfully at large were 'technical breaches whereby they do not return to the prison on their designated date to sign on.' Picture: iStock 

Nearly 400 prisoners classified as unlawfully at large over the last decade did not return to custody.

It includes 126 people granted temporary release from Irish prisons last year.

In total, some 4,178 people were recorded as unlawfully at large between 2015 and 2024. Some 3,815 individuals were returned to custody.

This means 363 individuals recorded as unlawfully at large were not brought back to prison. It includes 15 outstanding inmates from 2015. Of 702 people recorded as unlawfully at large in 2024, some 126 did not return to custody, the data shows.

The figures were given to Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín following a parliamentary question to justice minister Jim O’Callaghan.

Further figures released to Mr Tóibín show that seven people died while unlawfully at large between 2014 and 2025.

According to Mr O’Callaghan, a person is deemed unlawfully at large if they have not returned to custody “before the expiry of their temporary release period or if a condition of their release is breached”.

He noted that the “vast majority” are recorded as unlawfully at large for “technical breaches whereby they do not return to the prison on their designated date to sign on”, adding that “these numbers are dynamic”.

Last year, an average of 506 prisoners were on temporary release each month, according to Irish Prison Service reports.

Prisoners can be temporarily released from prison for specified lengths of time for reasons such as for a funeral or family emergency, at Christmas or near the end of a prisoner’s sentence.

In recent parliamentary questions, Mr O’Callaghan admitted that temporary releases are being used to tackle prison overcrowding.

Meanwhile, proximity to buses, rail, and a good road network, along with higher population, has resulted in Mallow and Midleton recording the highest level of crimes in Cork county, according to gardaí.

The 'Irish Examiner' is exploring crime data from garda stations in our Cork Crime series in print and online here on Monday and Tuesday, August 4 and 5. 

Central Statistics Office figures show that Mallow had the highest reported crime level in Co Cork last year.

The garda station in the town recorded 792 recorded incidents, including 224 thefts and 135 public order incidents.

Midleton was next highest, with 613 in total, again with thefts and public order being the most reported offences.