We feel fobbed off, say family of murdered prison officer
THE family of a prison officer murdered by the IRA have hit out at the Garda Commissioner’s failure to formally apologise for the botched investigation into the case, and demanded a State apology from the Taoiseach.
Brian Stack’s family are waiting on a written apology from Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, three months after he delivered a verbal apology at Garda headquarters for the mishandling of the probe into the IRA’s killing of the chief prison officer in 1983.
The late Mr Stack’s son, Austin Stack, believes the family has been “fobbed off ”.
He told the Irish Independent: “We are disappointed, shocked and amazed that commitments given to the family by Commissioner Harris in relation to a written apology on 10 July have not been honoured. The gardaí appear to be again heaping more hurt on the family by continuing to fudge and stonewall the family on this.”
Correspondence reveals that Mr Harris’s office has twice told Mr Stack since they met last July that it will respond to his queries “in early course”. However, Mr Stack has received no substantial engagement.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin will heap pressure on the Government in the coming days when he is expected to raise the matter in the Dáil.
The Stack family also want an apology on behalf of the State from the Taoiseach, and an external inquiry into the mishandling of the case.
In a letter to Mr Varadkar on July 23 last, Mr Stack wrote: “Brian Stack made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of this State at a time when it was most needed, the State did not do him justice as a result of the failings of several Garda investigations, which has now been recognised. The very least that the State can do is replay a loyal servant with a formal apology.”
Mr Varadkar has yet to respond to Mr Stack, who said the family are also still waiting for details on what, if any, external investigation is to be carried out into the Garda mishandling of the case.
Both Mr Harris and Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan have signalled their openness to such an inquiry.
Mr Flanagan wrote to Mr Stack last week to say he was awaiting Mr Harris’s “considered” view on a possible external review of the case. The minister also insisted the investigation into the murder of Brian Stack “remains open and active”.
An Garda Síochána did not respond to a request for comment. The Taoiseach’s department did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Brian Stack was shot by the IRA and died 18 months later. The IRA claimed responsibility for the murder in 2013 after former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams helped organise a meeting between Austin Stack and his brother Oliver, and a former IRA leader.
The organisation said the killing was not sanctioned by its leadership.
The Stack family have claimed that, as part of the Garda investigations, key individuals were not interviewed, evidence went missing and critical intelligence was not acted on.
Three Garda investigations have failed to yield any charges or convictions.