Fresh leads for special unit probing 1983 prison officer murder

A SPECIAL Garda unit have identified new lines of inquiry in a chief prison officer’s murder 25 years ago.

Portlaoise father-of-three, Brian Stack, 47, was shot in the back of the neck on a Dublin street by a masked gunman, who fled the scene with an accomplice on a motorcycle.

Mr Stack had been attending an event in the national boxing stadium.

It was believed the March 25 killing in 1983 was the work of one of the paramilitary or criminal groups whose members were among the prisoners in Portlaoise Prison.

However, a Garda unit is to make more than 150 recommendations to Garda authorities relating to the case.

It is believed the Garda Cold Case Unit has identified a number of lines of inquiry in relation to the attack. Mr Stack was left paralysed and brain damaged as a result of the shooting, and died 18 months later as a result of his injuries.

At the time of the attack, Mr Stack was the most senior uniformed prison officer at Portlaoise. The prison housed prisoners from the IRA, the INLA, and other high-security prisoners.

While the gunman and his getaway driver have never been brought to justice, Mr Stack’s family and gardaí believe a number of people who are still alive have knowledge of who organised the attack. It is understood a significant number of people have come forward with information in recent months, following public appeals by Mr Stack’s widow Sheila, and his three sons, Austin, Kieran and Oliver.

The report will be submitted to Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy for consideration. He will then decide how the murder investigation should proceed.

Mr Stack’s family are to meet with the cold case unit in early April for a progress report.

“We are very happy with the recent work of gardaí and will be keenly watching to ensure all recommendations from the cold case unit are followed up,” Mr Stack’s son, Austin, told RTÉ News.

Detectives have urged people on the periphery of the attack to contact them.

* Gardaí investigating the murder of Brian Stack can be contacted at Kevin Street Garda Station on 01-6669400.