Christmas parole for the killers of Det Garda Jerry McCabe would be a sign of "weakness and poor judgment" by the Government, the former Tβnaiste and Labour leader, Mr Dick Spring, has said.
Responding to reports that some or all of the four IRA members convicted of the 1996 killing would be freed temporarily, he claimed such a move would mean the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice had bowed to "lobbying from the leadership of Sinn FΘin/IRA".
A spokesman for the Department of Justice said last night that no decision had been made on the men's cases, and would not be made until today.
But Mr Spring said that allowing convicted Garda killers parole after so short a period in prison would undermine the work of the Garda and "send out the wrong signals to criminals who are prepared to use arms in pursuit of robbery and violent crimes".
It is understood that any Christmas release would be for a few days only.