Brian Stack’s family due State apology in Dáil over investigation failures
Taoiseach Micheál Martin is due to apologise to the family of the prison officer killed by the IRA. His son says official recognition of failures in three investigations brings comfort.
Brian Stack’s family is due to receive a State apology in Ireland’s Dáil on 21 October for failures in investigations into the prison officer’s killing by the IRA. Taoiseach Micheál Martin is expected to deliver the apology on behalf of the State, more than four decades after Stack was shot. No one has been brought to justice for his death.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan is also due to address the chamber, RTÉ reported. Before the proceedings, the family is scheduled to meet Martin and O’Callaghan privately at Government Buildings. The planned Dáil apology follows a separate apology made to the family in 2019 by Drew Harris, then Garda Commissioner, for failings in the investigations.
What Austin Stack said about the apology
Brian Stack’s son Austin told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland on Monday that official recognition of the failures brought the family comfort, according to The Journal. He thanked the Taoiseach for showing “political leadership” and said it was crucial that “the state are stepping up to the plate”. He singled out the first of three investigations as a particular concern.
Austin Stack said the family had not been given information explaining why the investigations did not progress. He said they had suspicions about that, but described them as suspicions only. RTÉ reported that three Garda investigations had taken place and none led to anyone being brought to justice for the killing.
Brian Stack’s killing and the investigations
Stack was chief prison officer at Portlaoise when he was shot in the neck after leaving a boxing match in March 1983. The attack left him paralysed; he died in September 1984, aged 49. RTÉ reported that the Provisional IRA took responsibility for the killing in 2013 and described it as the only murder of a prison officer in the State related to the Troubles.
NewsJaws previously reported that the family was scheduled to receive an apology on 21 October. The same-day accounts set out who is due to address the Dáil and record Austin Stack’s response as the planned apology approaches. Both reports describe the proceedings as forthcoming.
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Sources and context
- Family of prison officer killed by IRA to get state apology for investigative failuresThe Journal (with additional reporting by PA)
- Family of Brian Stack to receive State apologyRTÉ News
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.