The son of former Fianna Fáil politician Liam Lawlor has described certain newspaper reports on his father's death as "a shot at the open wound of his family".
In an interview with RTÉ Radio from Moscow today, Niall Lawlor said: "The way I look at it is, a dead man has no recourse and scandal sells newspapers".
Liam Lawlor pictured earlier this year
Several Sunday newspapers claimed Mr Lawlor - who was killed in a car crash in Moscow on Saturday - had been in a red light district of the city in the company of a woman who was "likely to be a prostitute".
The claims proved false when it emerged the woman was, in fact, a business associate of Mr Lawlor's and that both had been travelling directly from the airport.
Mr Lawlor's remains are due to be returned to Ireland today. His funeral is expected to take place in Lucan at the end of the week.
Sunday Independenteditor Aengus Fanning yesterday accepted full responsibility for his newspaper's coverage and apologised to the Lawlor family.
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell described the Sunday Independent's coverage as "cruel and grossly offensive".
He also pledged legislation to set up an independent press complaints council by Christmas.