Gardaí have confirmed they have sent letters to offenders apologising for failing to progress their prosecutions in a move described by a former state solicitor as "political correctness gone mad".

A review of the Garda youth diversion scheme earlier this year identified almost 8,000 reported crimes by more than 3,000 children that had gone unpunished, and following this, Garda letters of apology were sent to the alleged victims.

However, it’s emerged Garda letters of apology have also been sent to some offenders, including for precluding the offenders from availing of supports aimed at their rehabilitation.

Michael Murray, a respected lawyer in Limerick who served as State Solicitor for the city from 1980-2017, has criticised the measure as “political correctness gone mad”.

Gardaí confirmed the letters included a helpline for offenders should they have wanted to access available support services.

“Each case subject to the remit of the Youth Diversion Review was reviewed by the relevant District Officer in the area where the offence occurred," a Garda spokesman said.

"Where it was deemed appropriate a letter was issued to an offender informing them that their case was not progressed appropriately, together with an apology for this organisational failing and any potential impact which precluded them from availing of certain services which are afforded to individuals within the Criminal Justice System.

“They were also provided with details of a helpline where further details of information and support services were available,” the spokesman added.

Gardaí said they were “unable to accommodate” a request by this journalist for a redacted copy of one of the letters.

When asked how many letters had been sent to offenders, a Garda spokesman replied: “Work in this area is still ongoing. A further breakdown of figures is not available at this time.”

Gardaí confirmed that 6,331 letters of apology have been sent to “individual victims” and 891 letters have been sent to “commercial victims”.

Mr Murray said a “well-informed source” had informed him that the letters “apologised to the criminals for not dealing with them appropriately, and allowing them to escape the net”.

He argued the letters were “indicative of an over-emphasis on compliance” by Garda headquarters.

“I have a sense now that management from HQ and the new regime are very heavy-handed, and that there’s too much stick and not enough carrot to bring about the changes that are quite clearly needed,” Mr Murray said.

He agreed there needed to be changes in how the force conducts itself, but criticised Garda Commissioner Drew Harris’s “style” of implementing these changes.

Murray said Gardaí have complained to him that “the level of compliance work that they have to do now has inhibited their discretion” and that, “the time and energy they have to expend to compliance work, is detracting from the real nuts and bolts of the job”.

Mr Murray said:

“It’s one thing to be writing to the victims [of crime] but to be writing to the offender telling him ‘we’re sorry we didn’t deal with you properly’ - that seems to be political correctness gone mad.”

A spokesman at the Department of Justice and Equality said it “is aware of the serious issues which arose in the handling of certain cases which had been deemed unsuitable for the Garda Youth Diversion Programme”.

They said the “Garda Commissioner has addressed these matters” and that the “Department is satisfied that An Garda Síochána is making every effort to address this matter and to ensure that there is no repetition of these failures”.