The Argus (Dundalk), 5 April 2006:

Final Report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the murder of Seamus Ludlow

Ludlow family still seek a public inquiry into Seamus' murder

Reports by Margaret Roddy

There's no hiding Nan Sharkey's disappointment that a public inquiry isn't to be held into the murder of her brother Seamus Ludlow 30 years ago.

"I was very disappointed when we heard that there isn't to be a public inquiry as I was hoping that we would have got one," she said.

And she also revealed the family's hurt that they have yet to receive a personal apology from the Garda authorities and the State for the way they were treated in the years since Seamus was murdered.

"Not one of the Gardai ever came up to us and said they were sorry."

Her son Jimmy, who has consistently called for a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his uncle's murder on 2nd May 1976 and the subsequent garda investigation, believes "the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern should stand up in the Dail and make a public apology to the family".

It would, he says, "go some way towards righting the wrongs which were done over the years."

Jimmy says the family still firmly believe that a public inquiry is the only way that the truth will ever emerge regarding what happened to their uncle and in the years which followed.

"We will be consulting with our legal team before we decide whether we will cooperate with the Commission of Investigation which has been suggested by the Oireachtas Committee," he says.

"We would have to know who would head the investigation, what its terms of reference would be and what powers it would have to compel witnesses to come forward and give evidence."

"I strongly believe that this is yet another stalling tactic by the government," says Jimmy, adding that he wasn't surprised that the Report by the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights hadn't recommended a public inquiry.

He believes that there are still a lot of questions which remain unanswered and that any inquiry would need to have the power to compel witnesses to give evidence and also be able to order the production of files and documents.

"There were a number of things which disappointed us with the Joint Committee hearings," he says. "Witnesses such as Det. Sgt. Daniel Boyle couldn't be compelled to attend even though he would have been able to clear up the conflict regarding whether Gardai had to get permission from C3 to go across the Border to interview suspects."

"We were disappointed that Pat Livingstone, who was arrested in Dundalk in 1975 and later interviewed by the RUC in Dundalk Garda Station, wasn't called to give evidence."

"We also feel that the Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan should have been asked to attend as she would have information on what is in the RUC files in relation to the case.

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The Argus (Dundalk), 5 April 2006:

Senior officer to re-examine files in the case

Following on from the publication of the final report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the murder of Seamus Ludlow by the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Womn's Rights, the Garda Commissioner last Thursday appointed a senior officer to re-examine all investigation files relating to this matter and to re-investigate where appropriate all avenues of enquiry, with a view to bringing those responsible for this outrageous ceime to justice.

This investigation will necessitate working closely with officers of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The Garda officer concerned will report to Assistant Commissioner, National Support Services, who will advise on the apropriate direction of the investigation.

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