The Irish Prison Service is to conduct an investigation into the mistaken release of a prisoner from Mountjoy Prison.
Mark Kenny (35) from Ballyfermot in Dublin, who had been serving a six-year sentence for robbery, was mistakenly released yesterday afternoon after his identity was confused with another prisoner of the same name who was due to be granted temporary release after serving time for a traffic violation.
Kenny had not been due for release until December 2010. The mistake was discovered by the authorities in Mountjoy shortly after 5pm, some 20 minutes after the wrong Kenny had walked free from the prison.
A spokeswoman for the Prison Service confirmed that Kenny has not yet been located and remains missing. A Garda spokesman said the force had been informed of the incident.
The Director General of the Irish Prison Service, Brian Purcell, has ordered the Governor of Mountjoy Prison to carry out an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the release.