Irish government urged to help inquest into the murder of an innocent Protestant civilian by the Provisional IRA find answers

Ian Sproule, a 23-year-old joiner, was shot dead when he returned to his home on the outskirts of Castlederg in the early hours of April 13, 1991. An IRA gang, who had been lying in wait, shot him at close range, firing 44 bullets.

It has been claimed that the terrorists had been provided with a Garda sighting document containing Ian's personal details and photograph.

His inquest, ordered by Attorney General Dame Brenda King, is significant because it is into a murder by the IRA, who killed far more people during the Troubles than did any other group.

Yet the overwhelming bulk of legacy inquests to date have been into deaths in which there are allegations against the security forces.

Victims’ group SEFF has urged that the Irish government works with the new inquest to help uncover answers around Mr Sproule's killing.

“No-one has ever been held accountable for this act of collusion between the Provisional IRA and a member of An Garda Siochana,” SEFF said in a statement.

SEFF said that authorities in the Republic of Ireland, including An Garda Siochana, cannot repeat the mistakes made at the Kingsmills inquest.

“That disclosure process was protracted and piecemeal and where to this day AGS evidence provided to the Kingsmills inquest remains secret and has never been published,” they said.

DUP MLA Diane Dodds welcomed confirmation of a new inquest, describing it as a “testament to the Sproule family's determination and courage”.

“They have never ceased in their quest to secure truth and justice for the brutal murderof an innocent young man,” she said.