Oireachtas Good Friday Agreement committee to meet Finucane family

» John Hedges

An Phoblacht Editor

‘The findings of this report enhance the need for such an inquiry in order to uncover all the facts surrounding the British state’s collusion with loyalists and the direct involvement of senior political figures in this case.’

THE Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement is inviting the family of the late Pat Finucane to make a formal submission to it in the New Year after this week’s publication of the controversial de Silva report into the killing of the Belfast-based solicitor.

Seán Crowe TD, one of Sinn Féin’s representatives on the committee, said:

“Many of us share deep concern over the de Silva report and the refusal of the British Government to hold a public inquiry.

“The British Government gave a solemn commitment at Weston Park in 2001 that they would hold a public inquiry into the Finucane murder. Their refusal to do so compounds the deep hurt and anguish of the Finucane family.”

Paying tribute to the Finucane family’s “incredible strength and perseverance” in their fight to uncover the truth behind Pat’s assassination, the Sinn Féin Foreign Affairs spokesperson added:

“The de Silva report does not give us any new insight into what is common knowledge: that British state agents colluded with loyalist death squads to have Pat Finucane murdered.

“The findings of this report do not diminish the need for a full public inquiry and in fact enhance the need for such an inquiry to uncover all the facts surrounding the British state’s collusion with loyalists and the direct involvement of senior political figures in this case.”