A total of 134 prisoners across the Republic's jails have been granted temporary release for the Christmas period.
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said just over half of those granted the traditional release period are serving their sentences in open, or low security prisons.
The total number of inmates being released is down on last year, when 176 were set free for the holiday period.
This years total represents 2.5 per cent of the total prison population.
The periods of release vary in length from a number of hours on Christmas day to periods of up to one week.
Murderer Malcolm Macarthur is being released for part of Christmas Day to spend time with his family members.
Macarthur is being released for a number of hours and will return to prison in Shelton Abbey, Co Wicklow, on Christmas night.
It is his fourth period of temporary release. For the past number of years it is believed he has spent his period of freedom with family in the Dún Laoghaire area of south Dublin.
Macarthur (62), was jailed for life in 1982 for bludgeoning a nurse, Bridie Gargan, to death in the Phoenix Park that year. He was also charged with shooting a farmer, Donal Dunne, who had met him to sell a shotgun.
The DPP decided not to prosecute him for this murder because he had pleaded guilty to the murder of Ms Gargan.
The Dunne family said in recent years they believe Macarthur still poses a threat to themselves and society.
Macarthur was moved to Shelton Abbey in May 2004 following a parole board report recommending that he be moved to the open prison to test his suitability for eventual full release.
The practice of granting some inmates temporary release over Christmas is long established and is provided for the Criminal Justice Act 1960.
Inmates who want to be released must apply to the authorities in the prisons where they are being held. Their application is considered on a number of grounds including any risk they might pose to the public and their behaviour during their sentence.
A significant number of those granted temporary release are nearing the end of long sentences and some have enjoyed previous periods of temporary release to ready them for their full release.
Some of those being freed have secured release on compassionate grounds, usually because a loved on is ill or because they themselves are ill.
The severity of a person's crimes are taken into account when their application for release is considered.
All releases are subject to a number of conditions. Some inmates freed for only a few hours on Christmas Day must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.
Others released for longer periods must sign on at their local garda station every day and must not come to the attention of gardaí. Any offender who fails to comply with conditions can be arrested immediately and returned to prison.