Gardai face legal action over alleged failure during Sinn Fein official Denis Donaldson's Donegal murder probe
GARDAI are facing legal action over an alleged failure to comply with a probe into the murder of Denis Donaldson, it has emerged.
Policing oversight body Fiosru, which recently replaced the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission, has said it takes the view that
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Denis Donaldson was shot at his family's remote cottage in the Glenties, Donegal
Credit: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
It has decided to start proceedings in
A letter seen by
The Donaldson family has been informed of Fiosru's intention to launch the action.
Enda McGarrity, the Donaldson family's solicitor, said the GSOC/Fiosru probe had been ongoing for three years.
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He told
'That's a matter of significant concern to the family because the body which is charged with investigating the murder of Denis Donaldson are now not only being investigated, but failing to comply with investigation and that gives rise to family's wider concern that the State are currently not delivering an effective investigation.'
Mr Donaldson, a senior
His exposure came after he was accused of being part of a republican spy ring at Stormont, but the
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Mr Donaldson was shot at his family's remote cottage in the Glenties just four months later.
His daughter Jane complained to GSOC three years ago over the Garda response to information regarding threats to her father's life.
She claimed An Garda Siochana failed to take adequate measures to protect his life despite being told by the
The Donaldson family is also seeking to have Denis' journal returned to them from Garda hands.
Last Friday, the
Mr Adams took the BBC to court over a 2016 episode of its Spotlight programme and an accompanying online story which he said defamed him by alleging he sanctioned the killing of Mr Donaldson, in which he denies any involvement.
Last month, a jury at the High Court in Dublin found in his favour and awarded him €100,000 after determining that was the meaning of words included in the programme and article.
The BBC, which was found by the jury not to have acted in good faith nor in a fair and reasonable way, was also ordered to pay the former Sinn Fein leader's legal costs.
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Denis Donaldson was shot dead in Co Donegal in 2006, months after admitting his role as a police and MI5 agent over 20 years
Credit: PA:Press Association
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