Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern has said that he cannot interfere in the decision to release convicted rapist Larry Murphy tomorrow morning.
Murphy was jailed in May 2001 for 15 years for the abduction, attempted murder and rape of a 28-year-old woman.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Ahern said that all sex offenders serve their full term and are not able to get early release, but they are eligible for 25% remission for good behaviour, as are all prisoners.
The minister said that any suggestion that he can change any current sentence is 'absolute nonsense'.
Legally, he said, a sentence cannot be extended.
Mr Ahern pointed out that there is constant discussion about release of prisoners and case conferences to ensure that they are properly rehabilitated and that they will not pose a threat to the community.
Fine Gael spokesperson Charlie Flanagan described the minister's reassurances as 'utterly unconvincing'.
'It is intolerable that a convicted rapist such as Larry Murphy can be released having served only ten years of a 15 year prison sentence for the savage rape and attempted murder of a woman.
'Remission is tied into the process of rehabilitation, but in this case all and any attempts at rehabilitation were dismissed. It is impossible to understand why automatic remission should apply in cases such as this.'
Attack lasted for a number of hours
During Larry Murphy's trial in 2001, the victim told the court that she feared for her life during the attack, which lasted for a number of hours.
Murphy told the Central Criminal Court at the time that he 'did not know what came over him' on the night in February 2000.
He said that he stopped in a Leinster town for a bag of chips and ended up abducting a woman he had never seen before.
He forced her into the boot of his car and then drove to remote wooded areas in Kildare and Wicklow and raped her. He then placed a plastic bag over her head.
Two men out hunting foxes came across the car and Murphy fled, but the two men were able to help gardaí identify him and he was arrested the next day. He made a statement admitting his crime.
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre is offering support to victims of rape and sexual abuse who may be affected by the publicity surrounding the release of Larry Murphy.
The DRCC national 24-hour helpline is 1800-778888.
Watch the full interview - NUI Galway Senior Law Lecturer Tom O'Malley discusses what happens to Larry Murphy upon his release
