The family of a man killed in a bomb attack on Dublin Airport 50 years ago today say their grief is being deepened by "the continued lack of truth and justice" surrounding the case.
John Hayes' family have called for a renewed garda investigation, as major UK report related to the bombing and other attacks is set to publish soon.
The bomb on 29 November 1975 killed Mr Hayes, an Aer Lingus baggage handler, and injured nine others.
Speaking to Prime Time ahead of a remembrance mass for his father at Dublin Airport Church on Friday, Brendan Hayes said "it’s a particularly poignant anniversary that is compounded by the continued lack of truth and justice".
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly and the Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, have arranged meetings next month with Brendan, the youngest of three children left without a father when the bomb exploded inside the airport terminal.
The bombing is among the atrocities that is being examined by Operation Denton, an independent UK police investigation set up to examine the activities of the so-called 'Glenanne Gang'.
Operation Denton is expected to soon publish a report into the activities of the UVF-linked gang, which operated across Armagh and Mid-Ulster in the 1970s, and whose members included serving soldiers and police officers.
The family of John Hayes is seeking answers to questions they have been wondering about for five decades.
His son Brendan Hayes recently told Prime Time "no one was ever arrested. No one was ever questioned. I know it's 50 years ago but that is no excuse not to have an effective investigation into an atrocity like this."
Sinn Féin’s justice spokesperson Matt Carthy has raised concerns about the original investigation with An Garda Síochána.
Correspondence from Commissioner Kelly to Mr Carthy, seen by Prime Time, outlined the extent of the force’s investigation into the bomb.
"An incident room was established at Ballymun Garda station and a full investigation was conducted by the District Officer with the assistance of specialist teams including the Garda National Technical Bureau," wrote the Commissioner.
"A number of lines of enquiry were conducted in the United Kingdom by members of An Garda Síochána. A file was prepared in April 1976 but there was insufficient evidence to recommend or prefer charges against any named person."
Commissioner Kelly said he is aware that Operation Denton held a meeting in Dublin where they presented their findings to the victims and families of the victims, including Brendan Hayes. He said An Garda Síochána is now awaiting publication of Operation Denton’s report.
"This matter remains an unsolved investigation which will be further investigated should any relevant new information arise," the Commissioner added.
Brendan Hayes told Prime Time: "I've only learned of the [original] investigation from my dealings with Operation Denton, and they've effectively said there was no real effective investigation done by the Garda Síochána."
He says the "investigation went cold" after a year and there was "absolutely no follow-up whatsoever".
"It's really disappointing. It compounds our trauma.
"I’m meeting the Minister for Justice on January 19th and the Garda Commissioner the following day.
"I want to find out what exactly was done by the Gardaí at the time and since. There was talk of a file that was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, so I would like to find out what is in it."
Deputy Carthy said the Dublin Airport bombing was "a forgotten attack" carried out by loyalists and "likely carried out in collusion with British State forces".
He said "the family of John Hayes deserve great credit for highlighting the case and seeking justice".
Deputy Carthy asked Commissioner Kelly about the case at the Oireachtas Justice Committee last month.
He asked whether a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and whether it was the DPP or An Garda Síochána that decided that there was not sufficient evidence to bring charges against anyone named in that file at the time.
Commissioner Kelly confirmed that there was a file associated with the Hayes case and he committed to looking into what happened it.
In response to questions from Prime Time, An Garda Síochána confirmed that the Commissioner will meet the Hayes family and he is "seeking an update on the status of the investigation file, as well as determining whether a review of the initial investigation is necessary".
"An Garda Síochána has no further comment to make at this time," the statement concluded.
A remembrance mass was held for John Hayes on Friday afternoon at Dublin Airport Church, just yards away from Terminal One where he was killed 50 years ago.
