The family of a British intelligence informant say they will take legal action against the gardaí over their failure to allow an inquest into his death. The family of Denis Donaldson say today will mark the 13th time that gardaí have asked for his inquest to be postponed.

Next week marks the eighth anniversary of his murder in Co. Donegal, which came only four months after he was revealed as an MI5 intelligence agent.

In a statement, his family say the process has now lost all credibility, and will now pursue legal action to vindicate their human rights.

They have also criticised the Justice Minister Alan Shatter, saying "the Minister of Justice funds a State legal team which has consistently contested the Donaldson family's desire to commence this inquest. At the same time, the Minister of Justice has also denied financial support to enable the Donaldson family to be legally represented in these proceedings. As such, this process is bereft of equality of arms and has ignored all requirements of promptness required under international human rights law".

They say that the effectiveness and independence of the process - and the completed garda investigation - has lost any credibility.

Their statement says since his death eight years ago, the "gardai have refused to probe these concerns and admitted to the family that they closed the file on Denis's death without interviewing those members of Special Branch who were actively involved in events leading up to Denis' killing".

They also claim the gardai have refused to return a journal to the family containing Denis's last writings.

The family say they are "shocked and angered" to learn that gardai are refusing to cooperate with the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland, who is now overseeing an investigation into the family's concerns.

The family add that they no longer have any confidence in the gardai.