Donaldson family angry over inquiry rejection

Denis Donaldson was shot dead in April 2006, months after he admitted being an informer for the police and MI5

The family of a Sinn Féin official who was shot dead as an informer has attacked the Irish government for rejecting a call for a judge-led inquiry.

Denis Donaldson, 55, was murdered in Donegal in 2006.

His inquest has been adjourned 27 times, following requests from An Garda Síochána (Irish police).

In the latest development, Dublin has rebuffed a request from his family, made three years ago, to establish a commission of inquiry.

They have alleged that some police officers who handled him during his 20 years as an agent were complicit in his murder.

Mr Donaldson's killing was claimed by the Real IRA.

He was shot at a remote cottage in Glenties, County Donegal, just months after he admitted being an informer for the police and MI5 during the 1980s and 1990s.

After the Good Friday Agreement, he occupied a key backroom role for Sinn Féin at Stormont.

His family wrote to the Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee in April 2021.

In a statement, they say she wrote back on Monday, ruling out an inquiry due to "an active ongoing criminal investigation in this jurisdiction".

Mr Donaldson's daughter Jane said: "The Irish government is publicly demanding an Article 2 compliant approach to legacy cases in the North of Ireland while it continues to refuse to provide an Article 2 compliant investigation into my father's murder.

"In two decades since my father's murder, no Irish government minister has been willing to meet my family and account for its double standards and differential treatment."

She added that while agents such as Stakeknife "were shepherded away to safety", her father had been left exposed and without protection.

"State agencies and officials in both jurisdictions were complicit in that and it is in the public interest to uncover the truth in an open, robust and transparent manner capable of commanding public confidence," she added.

In a statement on Thursday evening, the Irish department of justice said the murder of Mr Donaldson was "a callous act of violence".

"It is regrettable that to date it has not been possible to bring those responsible to court to answer for their actions," it added.

It said that there was an ongoing active garda investigation into Mr Donaldson's killing, and "it would not be prudent to consider the establishment of a commission of inquiry, as to do so could undermine the garda investigation".

The department said that "while it is appreciated that the adjournment of these proceedings will be a matter of concern for the family of Mr Donaldson, these adjournments arise in circumstances where the criminal investigation into the death is ongoing in order to ensure that the criminal proceedings are not compromised by the conduct of an inquest".

No-one has ever been convicted in connection with Mr Donaldson's murder.