Inquest on MI5 agent adjourned

Inquest on MI5 agent adjourned

27 August 2010
The Irish News
Barry McCaffrey

The family of MI5 agent Denis Donaldson last night criticised the decision to adjourn an inquest into his death for a fifth time.

Relatives of the former Sinn Fein administrator had travelled to Letterkenny in Co Donegal yesterday hoping that a date for an inquest into his death would be announced.

The 56 year-old, pictured, was shot dead by the Real IRA in April 2006, just weeks after he admitted that he had been an MI5 agent for more than 20 years.

Since then the Garda had requested that the opening of the inquest into his death be adjourned four previous times due to its ongoing investigations.

That evidence relates to information provided by Donegal man Liam McGinley, who is understood to have identified Mr Donaldson's killers and the location of a sledge hammer used in the attack.

The 29 year-old is now thought to be in protective custody in the Republic.

Garda barrister Stephen Byrne insisted that progress was being made, in what he said was a "very complex investigation".

He said that the detective leading the inquiry, Superintendent Michael Finan, was "obviously restrained in what he could put publicly" before an inquest at this stage.

However, the Donaldson family have become increasingly frustrated at the repeated delays.

The family's solicitor Ciaran Shiels argued that any further adjournment would be unlawful under European law and accused the Garda of repeatedly "frustrating" attempts to open an inquest.

He said that despite Garda claims of progress, there was no indication whether anyone will charged with Mr Donaldson's murder in the near future.

Mr Shiels claimed there was a pattern that each time the inquest was due to open there was "a flurry of activity" in which the family were informed there was a new development.

Following legal arguments, Coroner Dr Denis McCauley said that he would schedule a pre-inquest hearing on 27 January.

He said the Garda and the Donaldson family would be expected to deliver detailed arguments about future proceedings.

He said it would also be decided if the inquest would simply identify how Mr Donaldson was killed or, as the family wish, fully investigate the wider surroundings of his death.