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Dáil
‹ Order of Business

Pat Finucane inquiry

Summary

Mary Lou McDonald pressed the Government’s commitment to a public inquiry into Pat Finucane’s killing. The Taoiseach reaffirmed support for an inquiry and said the issue would continue to be raised with the British Government.

The programme for Government commits to supporting the establishment of a public inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane almost 30 years ago. Today Pat's wife, Geraldine, and the Finucane family are in the British Supreme Court in an attempt to compel the British Government to fulfil its obligation to hold a public inquiry, as agreed at Weston Park in 2001. The Taoiseach may recall that in 2001 there was an agreement to examine four cases between the two governments. Three of these inquiries have taken place but the Pat Finucane inquiry has not. The de Silva report, published in December 2012, revealed a shocking scale of collusion between the British State and unionist paramilitaries. The fact of collusion in the killing of Pat Finucane is well established and accepted by the British Government. All of this serves to reinforce the need for an inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane. His family has campaigned long and hard and with great dignity and it is now time that the British Government stepped forward and met its obligations.

The Taoiseach will recall that it is not just a matter of a commitment in the programme for Government but the decided will of the Oireachtas that the British Government should fulfil its obligations in respect of the inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane.

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Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I am not sure that there was a question. It is absolutely the Government's position that there should be a public inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane. I understand the UK Supreme Court is hearing a case on it now. It would be best not to comment on it but we do believe there should be an inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane. The Tánaiste is due to meet the family again quite soon. It is absolutely something we will continue to raise with the British Government.

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