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The brother of a man murdered in once of the most notorious Troubles atrocities has joined political leaders in asking why Garda evidence in the case has been given in secret and is not being published.

Ten Protestant workmen were murdered by the IRA as they travelled home from work in south Armagh in 1976.

After nine years of pressure, the Garda have finally given evidence to the legacy inquest into the murders. But the hearing was held in secret in Dublin and the transcript will never be published.

Colin Worton, whose brother, Kenneth, was one of those killed, asked why nationalists are able to have so much transparency in legacy processes by contrast?

"Taoiseach Enda Kenny promised us we would get all the information on Kingsmills from the south, and we were told by the corner that everything would be open and transparent, there'd be nothing left for anybody to ask questions about,” he said.

"It seems now that this is not the case that this transcript is going to be only for the chosen few to read and meditate on. It just makes you wonder - I am not berating any of them - but how can legacy processes work for one side of the community and not the other?

“If they are not protecting people, then I don't know what other word for it there is. This was one of the worst atrocities and somebody is hiding what happened behind a veil of secrecy."

UUP leader Doug Beattie said it was "quite incredible" that the families did not even know when the Dublin court hearing was taking place.“You would almost think there was something being covered-up, and it certainly raises major concerns as to what kind of precedent is being set for future Troubles related cases in Dublin," he said.

"We are a world away from the assurances of the then Taoiseach Enda Kenny in March 2015 that the Irish Government would cooperate fully.

"Rather, the overriding consideration now seems to be to close down any investigation and avoid public commentary of anything that might prove embarrassing to the Republic's authorities. That is simply not acceptable."

TUV leader Jim Allister believes that similar secrecy can be expected in any other legacy cases the Garda may give evidence on in future.

“The utter inadequacy of the new Republic of Ireland legislation this was carried out under provides the shield behind which the Dublin authorities are hiding – and means in any future cases we can expect the same ‘non cooperation’.” he said.

"We have the farce of secret evidence from a key player, the Garda, being buried and withheld. This will only further sap confidence. One can but imagine the outcry if police evidence was withheld in a republican inquest. But, it seems no insult is too low when it comes to treatment of the Kingsmills families. This inquest - the only one within the prominent legacy inquests into the murder of Protestants - has been handled abominably. The fact it has been running for nine years and lost the confidence of most families - resulting in their withdrawal - of itself points up the failure of the legacy process to deliver for anyone other than republicans.

Northern Ireland legacy: Shock of relatives and public figures at secrecy of Garda evidence on key Troubles atrocity