Dáil motion calls for inquiry into Finucane murder

The Dáil voted unanimously tonight to approve an all-party motion calling for an independent public inquiry into the murder 17 years ago of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.

The motion is critical of the British government decision to pass a new Inquiries Act last year, changing the terms under which a tribunal would be set up, and calls for the immediate establishment of a full, independent, public judicial inquiry into the murder which would enjoy the full co-operation of Mr Finucane's family and the wider community.

This evening's debate was attended by Mr Finucane's family who believe the new legislation gives the British government too much of a say over what evidence will be made available to the inquiry and what can be heard in public.

Opposition and Government figures stated their support for tonight's motion with Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern saying the inquiry as planned under the 2005 UK Inquiries Act "is not acceptable to the family, to this Government, to the committee of Ministers in Strasbourg, nor to the many international human rights groups who support the Finucane case".

Sinn Féin tonight attacked the Northern Ireland Office for dismissing the 30-minute debate in Dublin's Leinster House as "flawed and misleading" before it even began.

Brandishing the NIO statement, Caoimhghin O Caolain said: "They didn't even have the courtesy to wait to hear what we had to say on the motion and we should respond to this by feeling more spurred on in our intent."

An NIO spokesman claimed the motion wrongly suggests that an inquiry agreed to at Weston Park in 2001 would be held under the terms of the 1921 Act.

"The new legislation replacing the seldom-used 1921 Act, described by judges as "restrictive" and "cumbersome", was introduced not because of the Finucane case, but because the whole system for inquiries was in dire need of reform," he claimed.

The Finucane family believe the solicitor's fatal shooting by loyalists in February 1989 involved collusion by security forces.

The NIO spokesman, however, said that only the bare minimum of information necessary to protect national security and fulfil the Government's legal obligations will be held back.

The Finucane family, which has insisted it will not co-operate with the inquiry if it is held under the terms of the 2005 Act, fears crucial evidence will be withheld on the grounds of national security.

Tonight's motion backed Government moves to highlight the case in the United States, the United Nations and the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

The motion concluded: "(The Dáil) calls on the British Government to reconsider its position on the Finucane case to take full account of the family's objections and amend the UK Inquiries Act 2005.

"(It) calls for the immediate establishment of a full, independent, public judicial inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane, as recommended by Judge Cory, which would enjoy the full co-operation of the family and the wider community throughout Ireland and abroad."