Northern Ireland
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-26
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Ruairí Ó Murchú (SF), Louth

I wish to raise the murder of Seamus Ludlow on 2 May 1976. We are beyond 50 years. We are talking about a family that has been failed. The initial Garda investigation shut up shop within three weeks. The Royal Ulster Constabulary, RUC, provided the names of those believed to be involved back in 1979. We are talking about loyalists and some of them were members of the British Army. They were questioned in 1998 by the RUC. Admissions were made in relation to a number of them being there when the murder happened. We have seen no action over the years. The family have had to go to court. They have been to Europe. The family have not been sufficiently supported. They had a moment of hope with a new investigation but what they discovered was a new witness, who was not even questioned during that investigation, had seen suspicious activity in a car the morning Seamus was found that turned out to be connected to SAS incursion that happened soon after in Omeath. This is not acceptable in any way, shape or form. There is a need for the Minister for justice and Garda Commissioner to meet the family who have been failed for far too long.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-26/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:04+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-26