Family of murdered garda Colm Horkan call for public inquiry

THE FAMILY OF Detective Garda Colm Horkan have called for a public inquiry into his death.

Detective Horkan was shot dead in Castlerea in County Roscommon in June 2020 by Stephen Silver, who took Garda Horkan’s gun from his holster. Silver was later convicted of capital murder and sentenced to a minimum 40 years in prison.

A garda whistleblower, Detective Superintendent Brian O’Reilly, alleged on an RTÉ Investigates programme last month that the holster was defective and a contributory factor in his murder.

In a statement issued this evening, the Horkan family say they are now seeking a public inquiry.

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They say, “several persons, including protected disclosers, have stated repeatedly that it was known that this holster was faulty, that it was not fit for purpose, had been made by a saddlery and that complaints and disclosures had been made concerning the holster.”

They say they have met with former garda commissioner Drew Harris and also say they “have continuously sought answers from the Commissioner but also from former Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD and Jim O’Callaghan TD, Minister for Justice.

The statement went on to say, “We have no confidence that we will ever know the truth in the absence of an Independent Public Inquiry.” “The Minister for Justice and other authorities should have nothing to fear from a public inquiry, though our request in respect of this has on so many occasions fallen on deaf ears,” they added.

Tipperary North TD Alan Kelly, who has worked with the Horkan family, has welcomed their “significant and impactful statement”.

He said O’Callaghan and his predecessor Helen McEntee had questions to answer and that he had already alerted them about the case during a Dáil contribution in March.