Investigation opened into Detective Garda Colm Horkan’s firearm holster
Fiosrú has received a request from the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, for it to open an independent investigation into matters concerning the safety and suitability of the firearm holster used by Detective Garda Colm Horkan at the time of the incident in which he was murdered.
The request for a public interest investigation was made by Minister Jim O’Callaghan TD by letter to the Police Ombudsman, Emily Logan, on Monday, November 2, 2026.
The Police Ombudsman has been in contact with Garda Horkan’s family. Fiosrú will now commence its independent investigation, and will make no further comment at this time.
Under section 205(2) of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 states that:
“The Minister may, if it appears to him or her to be in the public interest, request the Police Ombudsman to undertake an investigation into any matter that appears to the Minister to be a relevant cause of concern and the Police Ombudsman shall investigate any matter so referred.”
A relevant cause of concern means a concern that a member of garda personnel may have committed an offence or behaved in a manner that constitutes misconduct that would justify the bringing of conduct proceedings.
What happened to Detective Garda Colm Horkan?
In a public statement in October, the family of Detective Colm Horkan who was murdered while on duty in 2020, called for a public inquiry.
Garda Horkan was shot responding to an incident in Castlerea on June 17, 2020. He got out of his car to speak to Steven Silver, from Foxford. That man then took the gun off him, and shot Mr Horkan several times.
Silver was later found guilty of murdering Garda Horkan.
In a statement by Detective Horkan's family, it was stated that several people, including those who had made protected disclosures, had repeatedly raised concerns that the holster was faulty and not fit for purpose.
It said complaints and disclosures about the equipment had been made before Detective Horkan's murder.
The family also referred to Detective Garda Edward Connell, who suffered life-changing injuries in an incident involving the same type of holster just six days before Colm Horkan was shot dead.
The family statement was issued on behalf of Detective Horkan's father, sister, and three brothers. It cites media reporting and whistleblower allegations in relation to Det Garda Horkan's murder.
"It is clear" the statement said, "that the authorities were on notice of serious issues concerning the holster."