RTÉ Television commissioned a number of new dramas which came to air from 2000. 'Paths to Freedom' was the first of these to attract both critical and public acclaim. Filmed as a documentary this comedy drama written by Michael McElhatton and Ian Fitzgibbon follows two prisoners who are released from Mountjoy Prison on the same day.

Brendan Coyle plays Jeremy a middle class gynaecologist who ended up in prison for drink driving and Michael McElhatton plays Rats a habitual offender who are the subjects of the fly on the wall documentary.

The opening title sequence from episode one sees Jeremy and Rats leaving prison. Jeremy is met by his wife Helen (Deirdre O'Kane). There is no one to meet Rats who tries to get back into the prison to make a telephone call.

A Grand Pictures Production for RTÉ.

© Grand Pictures

RTÉ Television commissioned a number of new dramas which came to air from 2000. 'Paths to Freedom', 'Bachelor's Walk', 'On Home Ground' and 'The Clinic' were all part of this new wave of drama production. 'Paths to Freedom' was the first of these to attract both critical and public acclaim.

'Paths to Freedom' is a six-part comedy-drama series filmed in the style of a fly-on-the-wall documentary. It follows the experiences of Rats (Michael McElhatton) and Jeremy (Brendan Coyle) on their release from Mountjoy Prison. Rats, an unemployed part-time musician and poet from Dublin's inner city, and Jeremy, a southside consultant gynaecologist, are filmed as they try to make their way back into society. 'Paths to Freedom' was written by Michael McElhatton and Ian Fitzgibbon. It was directed by Ian Fitzgibbon and produced by Grand Pictures for RTÉ. © Grand Pictures.

In 2003 a feature film 'Spin the Bottle' followed the fortunes of Rats as he was released from prison yet again.

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