The Government has been asked to intervene in the case of a Catholic man who was beaten to death by a loyalist mob in his home town of Portadown, Co Armagh, last May. Mr Robert Hamill's sister, Diane, called for both political and public support for private prosecutions to be taken against those persons the family believe were involved in the murder.
Action against members of the RUC who were in a Land-Rover close to the attack last May is also being demanded. It is thought to be the first time private prosecutions could be taken in a murder case in Northern Ireland.
The Green Party TD, Mr Trevor Sargent, is expected to ail the alleged lack of action by the RUC to prevent the murder. He is expected to call for an independent public inquiry into the role of the RUC in the Dail when he raises the alleged lack of action by the police officers to prevent the murder.
ail At a press conference in Drumcree Community Centre yesterday, Ms Hamill said: "Robert's life was brutally taken a short distance from a Land-Rover containing RUC personnel. These public servants made no effort to assist Robert nor his friends. They watched as the life was kicked out of him. Immediately afterwards the RUC issued three conflicting statements about this devastating event. But we know the truth and so do they.
"On that night we were given a frightening message. The life of someone like Robert Hamill in Portadown is worth nothing and is certainly not worth protection.
"Our feeling is that the RUC is most blameworthy for Robert's death. In the hard months after his loss we have been treated with contempt by police and have had to lodge at least one complaint as a result of their failure to prevent others gloating in our son and brother's death," she said.
A spokesman for the Committee for the Administration of Justice, Mr Martin O'Brien, said: "Given the eyewitness complaints of police inaction during the assault on Mr Hamill, we remain puzzled as to why the police officers involved in this case do not appear to have been suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry.
"These complaints are of the utmost seriousness in that they touch upon the police's commitment and ability to uphold impartially the rule of law."
Mr O'Brien added that details of the case had been forwarded to the European Commission on Human Rights and to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Summary and Arbitrary Executions.
The Pat Finucane Centre in Derry has called for criminal prosecutions against the RUC officers.