Irish government slammed for lack of information delaying Derry man's inquest

Counsel for the relatives of a Derry man shot dead by the Real IRA in 2010 have said they feel that 'they are back at square one' after the inquest was further delayed by a lack of information from the Irish government.

At a preliminary hearing into the death of Kieran Doherty (32), who was found shot dead on the Braehead Road on the outskirts of Derry on February 24, 2010, Stephen Toal KC for the next of kin said that 'either through incompetence or deliberate' the Irish government was silent on what material they held on Mr Doherty.

The barrister was reacting to a letter received from the Irish Chief State's Solicitor office in which they referred to witness evidence as opposed to information which they had been asked for.

Ian Skelt KC counsel for the Coroner said the lack of information from the Irish authorities was the 'chief impediment' to the Inquest proceeding.

Mr Toal told the Coroner Brian Sherrard that the family felt that after 'seven and a half years of letters and hearings' they were no further forward in securing this information. 

The barrister said that there was a pattern with the Irish government withholding information including in the Sean Brown case, the Dublin/Monaghan bombings case and in relation to the Omagh bombing inquiry.

Mr Toal said the Doherty family had been '15 years waiting for the truth' and with 'the British government and MI5 at one end and the Irish government who can't even tell us what information they possess at the other' it was hard to see how progress could be made.

The Coroner said the frustration of the interested parties was obvious.

He suggested that there might be some merit in asking a representative of the Irish authorities to come and address the hearing to explain their position.

Mr Sherrard suggested that he would write to the Chief State's Solicitor making clear what they were requesting as regards information and also invite them to attend the next hearing to make clear their course of action. 

He said he thought that progress was being made in this case after 'considerable drift' but this development from the Irish authorities had 'pulled the rug out from under our feet'.

The hearing was adjourned and another preliminary hearing will be held on May 7.