The family of a former senior Sinn Féin official who worked as a British agent for 20 years and was shot dead in Co Donegal 17 years ago has accused the Irish Government of hypocrisy after the inquest into his killing was adjourned for the 26th time.
Denis Donaldson was shot dead in a remote cottage in Glenties in April 2006 following his disclosure as an MI5 agent the previous year.
No one has ever been convicted in connection with his murder.
Last Friday, the Donegal Coroner adjourned the inquest into the circumstances surrounding the exposure and murder of Mr Donaldson for the 26th time, following a request from An Garda Síochána to reject the family's appeal to set a date for it start.
The family has strongly criticised the Irish Government for not intervening while opposing moves by the British government to end all investigations including inquests into Troubles killings in Northern Ireland.
"The Irish State, and others, stand in the dock of public hypocrisy if they continue to criticise the UK government’s approach to legacy while turning a blind eye to the mishandling of the case of Denis Donaldson and the injustices which our family is facing," they said.
"As a family we shall not accept this. We urge others in authority to help us overcome this."
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin have both strongly criticised British government legislation which will end all criminal and civil investigations into killings during the Troubles on 1 May next year.
The Irish Government has said it is considering whether to take legal action against the UK in the European Court of Human Rights.
'Hierarchy of victims'
The statement also said there appeared to be a "hierarchy of victims", with those labelled as informers "deemed in death as unworthy of any basic dignity".
"For the past 17 years, that has been our family’s experience. Our family’s loss and our rights have been treated with institutional contempt," the statement added.
"National security does not justify this. All we are asking is that statutory agencies, and those in authority or oversight, do their job in accordance with human rights and the rule of law.
"Our family’s ordeal involves the State agencies in both jurisdictions on this island in uncovering the facts about a criminal conspiracy which resulted in a conflict-related murder, eight years after the Good Friday Agreement. The public interest in establishing the truth is clear."
In March last year Northern Ireland's Police Ombudsman said the PSNI should have done more to protect Mr Donaldson after his exposure as an agent.
The Ombudsman did not find evidence to support family claims that PSNI officers had leaked details of his whereabouts.
The killing remains shrouded in mystery, with allegations of collusion and cover up and claims that a journal the gardaí have refused to return to the family could hold clues to the identities of those involved.
Responsibility for the murder was claimed by the dissident republican group known as the Real IRA three years after the shooting, but the family do not accept that claim.
There have been claims and that the Provisional IRA may have been directly or indirectly involved in the killing.
