Convicted criminals have been gifted almost €85,000 in ‘bus money’ to cover the cost of transport following their release from Castlerea Prison since 2009, new figures have revealed.

Prisoners are paid a daily cash allowance by the Irish Prison Service (IPS) while serving time behind bars, but may also receive ‘bus money’ at the end of their custodial sentence.

A total of €83,335 was spent by Castlerea Prison on transport-related costs for prisoners upon their release between 2009 and 2015, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act.

This represents the sixth-highest spend on prisoners’ ‘bus money’ of the State’s 14 places of detention behind Limerick Prison (€151,538), Cork Prison (€140,913), Midlands Prison (€135,178), Shelton Abbey (€123,302) and Loughan House (€113,177).

Nationally, a total of €1,040,431 has been spent by the IPS on transport for released prisoners since 2009, according to the figures.

Among the lowest costs incurred for this purpose was €891 at Arbour Hill, which is centrally located in Dublin and €5,711 at Cloverhill Prison in Clondalkin, Dublin 22. The next-lowest was €15,424 at Portlaoise Prison.

The IPS  stated that the provision of expenses for transport costs to prisoners upon their release was at the discretion of the governor at each institution and was administered on the basis of individual needs.

Money for subsistence and other costs is not dispensed by the IPS but a process is in place by which prisoners can liaise with a Community Welfare Officer regarding entitlements prior to their release, the IPS said.

Prisoners also collect a daily cash allowance while in custody, which can be used to purchase discretionary items from prison tuck shops or saved and made available to prisoners upon their release.

Almost €22 million was provided to prisoners in this form between 2009 and 2015.