THE FINAL report into the Bloody Sunday killings will not now be ready until, at the earliest, the autumn of next year.
The chairman of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, Lord Saville of Newdigate, yesterday confirmed the projected publication date to relatives of the 13 people killed by British army paratroopers in the Bogside, Derry, on January 30th, 1972.
In a letter to the relatives Lord Saville said earlier dates suggested by him for the publication of the report into the longest inquiry in British judicial history would not be achieved.
"We have always found it difficult, given the scale and complexity of the material with which we are dealing, to predict accurately how long it will take us to complete our task," he wrote.
"We are, however, most anxious to ensure that any further estimate is realistic and with that in mind we now think it right to say that we expect to deliver the completed report to the secretary of state in the autumn of next year.
"I am sorry that the estimate that we gave you in May has proved to be wrong to such an extent.
"My colleagues and I are well aware of the need to complete the report as soon as possible, but we are also determined to deal fairly, accurately and thoroughly with the issues before us."
The first witness to give evidence to the inquiry in Derry's Guildhall gave his testimony in November 2000.
The hearings lasted almost four years, and heard oral evidence from 922 witnesses and received written submissions from a further 1,563 witnesses.
The final report is expected to be some 5,000 pages.