The jailed director of Irish housebuilder Kilkishen Homes has been granted a reprieve after spending three days in prison.
Jason Madden, of Kilkishen, Co Clare, was put behind bars last week for breaches of safety regulations on the Kilkishen Homes construction site in Monroe, County Tipperary. Appearing before the High Court, he was told by Judge Justice Kelly that the court would mark its disapproval of building contractors "dicing with the lives and health of employees by taking short cuts and omitting to comply with the legislation, with one object in view – the maximisation of profit".

But when the case returned to court three days later, Madden was freed after he told the judge he would make sure the disregard for health and safety displayed by the company would never happen again.

Although Madden was released, Kilkishen Homes, which is registered in Henry Street, Limerick, was fined £6600 for failing to comply with safety regulations. The sum has to be paid within 28 days.

The site had twice been closed by the Health and Safety Authority for offences including failure to provide scaffolding on the outside of a building when men were working on the roof, and bunting being too close to overhead power lines.