Son calls for inquiry into Fallon murder

The State should not be allowed "to just walk away from the Troubles with clean hands", the son of the first garda killed in the Troubles has said.

Finian Fallon, whose father, Garda Richard Fallon, was shot dead in Dublin in 1970, has renewed his call for a public inquiry into the incident.

Garda Fallon (43) was murdered by republican splinter group Saor Éire during an armed robbery on Arran Quay. He later became the first member of the force to be posthumously awarded the Scott Gold Medal .

His son said questions remained to be answered about the circumstances of his death.

"It is my belief that something untoward went on in relation to the murder of my father and the Irish Government is hiding the truth to this day," Mr Fallon said.

Mr Fallon is supported in his campaign by Ann McCabe, the widow of Garda Jerry McCabe, shot dead in Limerick by the IRA in 1996. She said yesterday she supported the Fallon family.

"I would certainly support the Fallon family in their campaign. They deserve our support and they would have my 100% support.

"The family has been a long time looking for answers and any law-abiding citizen has a right to the truth."

Mr Fallon said yesterday his mother died in 1994. "It was said at her graveside when she died that she died of a broken heart. She was never able to move on from it."

He said that he hoped "absolutely" that the climate had changed in recent years, with tribunals and the way the Catholic Church had been forced to look at its past, and that there might be more readiness to look at the "lingering questions" about his father's death.

Last month Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said the "appalling murder was fully investigated by the Garda Síochána at the time".

"Arising from this investigation, three persons were prosecuted, and they were subsequently acquitted by the courts."

He remained "unconvinced that any further practical step is open to me which would be likely to alter the outcome in this case".