Family of Slain Prison Officer Brian Stack to Receive State Apology

The family of Brian Stack, a prison officer shot dead by the IRA, is set to receive a state apology, which his son described as a source of immense comfort and validation. Austin Stack told BBC Radio Ulster that the apology signifies the state officially acknowledging the "errors and omissions" that occurred.

The serious crime review team identified 194 such errors and omissions in the initial investigation into his father's killing. "So I have, and my family have, met with several ministers for justice down through the years and we have a requested sight of that report," Austin Stack stated. "And every time we've requested it, we've been told that it's an internally valid document and that we cannot see it."

Wednesday is expected to be an emotional day for the Stack family. "My dad was doing a very difficult job at a very difficult time in our history," Austin Stack said, adding that his father had received the Irish Prison Service's highest bravery award for his work. "And this is further vindication of him and his good name."

Prior to parliamentary proceedings, the Stack family is scheduled to have a private meeting with the taoiseach and the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, at government buildings.

Brian Stack was shot in the back of the neck in Dublin in 1983 while crossing the street and died 18 months later. He was the only prison officer killed by violence related to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

The IRA admitted responsibility for Stack's death in 2013, following a protracted campaign by his family that included meetings with Gerry Adams and a former IRA commander. At that time, Adams expressed his "regret" to the Stack family over the killing.

In 2019, the family received an apology from then-garda commissioner Drew Harris concerning the handling of the investigation into the murder. In 2023, gardaí informed the family that the case file, which had been with the Director of Public Prosecutions, was being returned to the police for further investigation.