There were heated exchanges as Opposition deputies sharply criticised the Minister for Justice over the temporary release of the four men convicted of the killing in 1996 of Det Garda Jerry McCabe.
The House heard that one of the prisoners, granted leave to visit his sick mother, spent the night in a hotel with a woman while another prisoner was found in a pub in Lifford, Co Donegal.
The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, was abroad addressing a UN conference and the Minister of State, Ms Mary Wallace, who spoke on his behalf, said the four cases of compassionate parole, for three days each, were "considered in accordance with the normal criteria which apply in such cases".
She rejected suggestions by Fine Gael's justice spokesman, Mr Alan Shatter, that the temporary parole was "release by stealth".
He said there would be widespread public revulsion that temporary release had been granted to these prisoners since they were given release less than two years after being convicted. Given their 14-year sentences it was "unprecedented" for four persons sentenced and convicted for the killing of a garda to be given temporary release.
Mr Shatter demanded that the Government confirm that further early releases would not be granted to these prisoners at such an early stage in their sentences.
Ms Wallace stressed repeatedly that the Minister and Taoiseach had stated on many occasions in the past that the four prisoners "do not qualify for release under the terms of the Good Friday agreement".
She told Mr Michael Noonan (FG, Limerick East) no decision had yet been taken on whether the four would be released for a period over Christmas. He asked the Minister to confirm that the prison authorities were given doctors' letters on behalf of the four prisoners claiming that a close relative of each of the four was ill and that "these letters from doctors are the only grounds on which the decision to grant compassionate leave has been taken".
The Minister said it was not the practice to disclose personal details but the normal criteria applied in these cases.
Ms Jan O'Sullivan, (Lab, Limerick East) asked if there was a political dimension attaching to this decision. "Has some agreement been reached with Sinn Fein or any other political grouping in respect of this matter? This is not the normal practice that applies to the temporary release of ordinary prisoners."
Ms Wallace said there had been discussions with Sinn Fein about the prisoners but "no confidential arrangements have been made".
Mr Jim Higgins (FG, Mayo) said it was a stepping stone to full release and that in the meantime there would be a special regime at Castlerea prison for them, a regime "which does not apply to bag snatchers, drug addicts or petty criminals".
The Minister said the prisoners were subject to the regime at Castlerea. Granting the parole to the prisoners was not automatic and 10 previous applications by the same individuals had been refused and four granted.
The Minister said the Department was aware of media reports about the behaviour of two of the prisoners in question but she stressed that "no reports of breaches of the conditions surrounding these temporary releases have been made to the prison authorities. Any such reports would be fully investigated."
