First of McCabe's killers to be freed next week

The first of four men who were convicted for their part in the killing of Det Garda Jerry McCabe is to be released from Castlerea prison next week.

Michael O'Neill has served eight years of his 11-year sentence for the manslaughter of Det Garda McCabe.

O'Neill, who was involved in the preparation of the raid but did not fire the fatal shots, has been given a standard remission of 25 per cent for good behaviour of his 11-year sentence.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter along with Jeremiah Sheehy, Pearse McAuley and Kevin Walsh. All three are expected to be released within two years.

Repeated attempts to release the men under the terms of the Belfast Agreement encountered fierce resistance from Det Garda McCabe's widow, Ann McCabe, Garda representative bodies and politicians on both the Government and Opposition benches.

O'Neill, from Patrickswell, Co Limerick, was jailed in 1999 for his part in the manslaughter of Det Garda McCabe, who was shot dead during a raid on a post office in Adare, Co Limerick, on June 7th, 1996.

Charges of murder against the four men involved in the killing had been dropped after a potentially key witness refused to testify in court because of fear of intimidation.

The Special Criminal Court was told at his trial that O'Neill had nine children and his incarceration had caused his family considerable financial hardship.

Earlier this year, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern defended O'Neill's release, saying that the Prison Service had no legal authority to detain him beyond that date.

However, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said his party would end the practice of automatic remission.

The news of the release of O'Neill was conveyed to Mrs McCabe by Minister for Justice Michael McDowell earlier this week. O'Neill will leave Castlerea prison on Tuesday.

Det Garda McCabe's brother-in-law Pat Kearney said the family was reconciled to O'Neill's release.

"We are going to totally ignore it. It does not impact on our lives anymore. We have no interest in that insignificant little man. It's over and done with as far as we are concerned. The McCabes are getting on with their lives. Jerry will always be with them, but we are not going to let the release of one of the murderers impact on our lives anymore.

"We felt these guys should have been put away for 40 years. Only for the witnesses having been intimidated, this would have been a full-scale murder trial and they should have been found guilty of the capital murder of a garda."

The Garda Representative Association, which strenuously opposed the early release of the McCabe killers under the Belfast Agreement, said they had "no difficulty" with O'Neill's release.

The association general secretary PJ Stone said: "As far as we're concerned, he has served his time and he's been released according to the law."