Minister urged to intervene over garda murder

Kilkenny Borough Council is writing to Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan, to request his intervention in the case of a garda murdered in Dublin nearly 40 years ago.

The development is unusual because Garda Richard Fallon, who was shot by bank raiders while on duty at Arran Quay in April 1970, had no links to Kilkenny.

Fine Gael councillor Paul Cuddihy has taken the initiative because, he claims, "the family of the late Garda Fallon have been denied justice by the State in their attempts to resolve confusion and misinformation concerning the circumstances" surrounding the shooting.

Garda Fallon, a Roscommon native who lived in Santry, Dublin, was 43 at the time of his death. He was the first member of the Garda Síochána to be murdered following the outbreak of the Troubles in 1969.

His youngest son, Finian Fallon (40), said yesterday: "It was a very touching gesture to receive such non-partisan support from Kilkenny Borough Council."

Mr Fallon, who is "still investigating" his father's death, said: "I now believe that the State had evidence of collusion between subversives and elements of State security before my father died."

Last year, former minister for justice Michael McDowell ruled out the need for a public inquiry into the murder. However Mr Cuddihy has called for the release of State papers on the case, which, he said, should have been released in 2001.