The Department of Justice last night insisted that the transfer of Det Garda Jerry McCabe's killers to the low-security Castlerea Prison was not a pointer to their early release.
The Garda Representative Association said it had been contacted by the detective's widow, Mrs Anne McCabe, who was extremely upset and annoyed by the development, especially because once more she had not been consulted about the decision.
If this was the first step towards releasing the four prisoners early, the GRA would vigorously oppose the move, the association warned.
"While it is accepted that the Department of Justice would be entitled to move prisoners from one prison to another, it is difficult to understand, taking into account the diabolical crime committed in Adare, how the prisoners involved can be moved to a low-security prison," the GRA said.
A Department spokesman said: "Everyone is clear about what the Government's position is and that position has not changed: the Government has repeatedly stated that those convicted of killing Jerry McCabe will not benefit from early release under the terms of the Good Friday agreement."
Meanwhile, it emerged yesterday that in recent months IRA prisoners have been released for a fortnight at a time from the high-security Portlaoise prison to undertake training courses.
Most of the 22 IRA prisoners in Portlaoise are due for release in May under the Belfast Agreement. Some of the training courses began last April to prepare prisoners for release.
Courses which prisoners have been released to participate in include courses in computers, teleservices, commercial welding, driving (both cars and heavy vehicles), social science, Open University seminars and tutorials, as well as training schemes run by FAS and PACE.
The arrangements were referred to yesterday by the secretary general of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr Tim Dalton, as he assured members of the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts that the decision to transfer the prisoners to Castlerea did not pose a security risk.
The transfer of prisoners would not have implications for staffing at Castlerea but would affect staffing needs in Portlaoise, Mr Dalton said. High security would still be required at Portlaoise for prisoners who were members of anti-Belfast Agreement organisations as well as for major criminals.
Mr Dalton was answering questions arising from the Auditor and Comptroller General's 1998 report. Among the criticisms were that the OPW initially estimated that the Castlerea Prison perimeter wall would cost £3.57 million, although this was later reduced to £2.5 million. It recommended that tenders be sought from nine contractors who had been shortlisted from 46 firms.