A spokesperson for the family of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe has insisted the family was not informed about the release of Jeremiah Sheehy, by the Government, the Department of Justice, or the gardaí.
Sheehy served a 12 year sentence for the manslaughter of Jerry McCabe in 1996.
McCabe family spokesperson Pat Carney said the first Mr McCabe's widow Ann knew of the impending release was when she went to buy her Sunday newspaper yesterday morning.
He said gardaí informed Jerry McCabe's son John of the release later that afternoon. John McCabe is also a garda.
Mr Carney said the news came as a bombshell to Mrs McCabe and said somebody surely should have had the manners or courtesy to alert the family a week ago or ten days ago.
'We were not informed of the release prior to the newspapers informing us. Surely a simply letter with just one line informing us of the release would have sufficed.That was not done' Mr Carney said.
A Department of Justice spokesperson had earlier insisted that the family had been informed 'over the weekend.'
Jeremiah Sheehy was one of four men convicted of the manslaughter of Jerry McCabe during an an attempted post office robbery in Adare, Co Limerick, in 1996.
Detective Garda McCabe was shot dead in the raid, while his colleague, Garda Ben O'Sullivan, was wounded.
Sheehy received a 12-year-prison sentence for his part in the killing.
Michael O'Neill, one of the other three involved in the incident, was released from Castlerea Prison last May after serving eight years.
Pearse McAuley from Strabane, and Kevin Walsh from Patrickswell in Limerick are still serving sentences of 14 years each for their part in the manslaughter.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said it is his understanding that arrangements were in place to have both the O'Sullivan and McCabe families informed in the case of prison releases.
