Madam, - The Irish Government is put to shame by the latest announcement that the British government has announced a framework for inquiries into the murders of Rosemary Nelson, Billy Wright and Robert Hamill. In stark contrast, the family of Garda Richard Fallon, who was murdered while on duty at Arran Quay in 1970, still awaits any official acknowledgment from the Irish Government regarding our call for an inquiry into the death of our father.
The death of Garda Fallon was an important event in Ireland, occurring just weeks before the Arms Trial controversy erupted. 10,000 people lined the route of funeral, and well over 1,000 uniformed gardaí turned out in solidarity with their fallen colleague. At the time questions were raised in the Dáil about what had really happened, and rumours circulated concerning the involvement of Irish government ministers in a cover-up.
Many years later a member of the gang which was reported to have carried out the murder told a son of Garda Fallon that one of the gang members had been smuggled out of the Republic in a State car.
However, no mention of the event is present in State archives, despite contemporary newspaper articles referring to cabinet discussions about the death.
Despite all this, the Government ignores the issue. What an incredible list of possible illegalities: state involvement in a murder cover-up, provision of guns to subversives, theft and destruction of State papers.
An appalling vista indeed.
My mother died relatively young at the age of 56, and my brother Joseph recently died at the age of 41.
Neither of them ever recovered from the violent death of my father.
Who will listen to our plea for the truth? - Yours, etc.,
FINIAN FALLON, Belvedere Road, Dublin 1.