SEAMUS LUDLOW: FAMILY TO MEET POLITICIANS THIS WEEK AND TO INITIATE LEGAL ACTION
The family of Seamus Ludlow are to commence a series of engagements regarding his murder this week.
KRW LAW LLP is instructed by the family of Seamus Ludlow who was murdered in disputed circumstances near Dundalk in 1976. On Friday (27 11 2015) his family will begin a series of engagements with politicians and others regarding the death of their loved one.
The Irish and British governments have consistently failed to implement human rights compliant investigatory mechanisms to deal with the Legacy of the Conflict including the murder of Seamus Ludlow. Therefore, as with many other families, the family of Seamus Ludlow have had to have recourse to litigation for the truth, justice and accountability regarding the murder of their loved one.
At this stage both Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáíl have agreed to meet with the family.
In the North of Ireland the family of Seamus Ludlow are due to issue civil proceedings against the PSNI (who inherited the responsibilities of the RUC), the MOD and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in an action for damages including collusion and negligence in relation to the death of Seamus Ludlow. This action will force the discovery of evidence which may point to the truth surrounding both the circumstances of the death of Seamus Ludlow and the consistent failure in the cross border investigations subsequently.
In the Republic of Ireland, since KRW LAW LLP have been instructed, representations have been made to the Irish government requesting both a meeting and update in relation to Irish government’s decision this year not to proceed with Henry Barron’s recommendations for a further Commission of Investigations. The Barron Report on the Murder of Seamus Ludlow made the following recommendations:
“They recommended the establishment of two Commissions of Investigation into the events surrounding the murder of Mr. Ludlow. One commission was to examine the conduct of the Garda investigation and the co-operation with the police in the North and the other was to examine the issues relating to the absence of relevant documentation. To date we note that this recommendations have not been furthered since”.
KRW LAW LLP have written to the Minister of Justice and to the Taoiseach asking for them to meet with us and the family of Seamus Ludlow to discuss the case. At this time we still await a response. Prior to us coming on record, this year, the Irish government advised that family that there would be no further Commission of Investigation. We find it disturbing that the Minister of Justice Frances Fitzgerald has gone against the Recommendations of the most senior judge in the Irish State tasked with looking at these events, and this will be something we will be exploring further with the Irish government over the coming months. The civil action being launched in the North may, we hope, cause some traction in the South to deliver truth, justice and accountability for the family of Seamus Ludlow, 40 years after his death.