Fiosrú opens investigation into safety of holster used by murdered garda Colm Horkan

The referral

Fiosrú, the Office of the Police Ombudsman, confirmed on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, that it had opened an independent investigation into the firearm holster Detective Garda Colm Horkan carried when he was shot dead in Castlerea, Co Roscommon, on 17 June 2020. Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan made the request in a letter to Police Ombudsman Emily Logan on Monday, 2 November. The inquiry will examine the safety and suitability of the holster, and Fiosrú said it has been in contact with the Horkan family. Stephen Silver was found guilty of the murder in 2023 and is serving a life sentence, while his appeal against the conviction remains live.

Allegations about the holster

Claims that Horkan was issued a faulty holster stem from whistleblower allegations raised in an RTÉ Investigates programme broadcast in September. According to those allegations, the leather holsters loosened over time and the leather creased around the trigger, which could lead to an accidental discharge. Whistleblowers also said fingers could reach inside a closed holster and pull the trigger. The holsters were withdrawn from service, and officials had planned to swap them for polymer models in stages by the end of 2022 before destroying the old leather units. A protected disclosure raising concerns about faulty holsters was sent to then justice minister Helen McEntee in September 2023 on behalf of garda whistleblower Brian O'Reilly.

The family's response

The Horkan family said they feel extremely let down by the minister. They met O'Callaghan on Tuesday, 3 November, and told him they saw no bar to a public inquiry. The family said he had cited Silver's appeal as a barrier to such an inquiry, yet had then asked Fiosrú to examine the holster himself. They also said issues with the holster had been known to the watchdog's predecessor since 2019 without action, and that they did not know the terms of reference or who would be interviewed. The family is seeking a public inquiry into the circumstances of Horkan's death.

Dáil debate and the minister's position

Speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday, O'Callaghan said he had met the Horkan family several times, including the previous week. He said he wanted the outcome of the criminal appeal, the inquest and other matters to conclude before deciding whether a public inquiry was needed. He added that Fiosrú had all the powers required to investigate fully.

“They are fully independent and I have every confidence in their capacity to investigate this issue without fear or favour.”

During the same session, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín introduced an Independent Technical Group motion calling for a formal inquiry into protected disclosures and whistleblower protections. Labour TD Alan Kelly said the minister had been misleading in describing how he handled O'Reilly's disclosure, and that he had acted without legal authority. Kelly called the sending of the disclosures to Fiosrú on 27 February a fatal error. Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy, chair of the Oireachtas justice committee, described the referral as no substitute for an independent public inquiry.

What happens next

Fiosrú said it would begin its investigation and would not comment further for now.

“Fiosrú will now commence its independent investigation, and will make no further comment at this time.”

Under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, the ombudsman will examine whether a garda may have committed an offence or behaved in a way that amounts to misconduct. O'Callaghan has tied any decision on a public inquiry to the outcome of Silver's appeal and the inquest. The Department of Justice was contacted for comment.