THE GOVERNMENT along with Sinn Féin and Amnesty International have welcomed the decision of a Belfast court to grant the family of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane a judicial review of the decision not to hold a public inquiry into his death.
British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, speaking yesterday in Dublin, repeated earlier apologies by his government to Mr Finucane’s family but said it had “reservations” about public inquiries.
The family of Mr Finucane, who was killed at his north Belfast home by loyalist gunmen in 1989, welcomed the decision. “I think the significant aspect of it was that it was completely unopposed ,” said Mr Finucane’s widow, Geraldine.
“It was surprising but a very pleasant surprise for a change.”
The review was ordered yesterday by High Court judge Mr Justice Ben Stephens and will be heard over three days in May.
British prime minister David Cameron last year accepted there had been collusion in the killing but announced that instead of ordering a public inquiry he was appointing lawyer Sir Desmond de Silva to consider evidence.
That decision has been denounced by Mr Finucane’s family who say they will not be co-operating with Sir Desmond.
Ms Finucane said the government had left the family with no way to have the papers reviewed other than to push for a judicial review. The review was ordered at a hearing in Belfast High Court, attended by Ms Finucane, her family and solicitor Peter Madden.
Paul McLaughlin, a lawyer for Mr Cameron, said they were not opposing the application for a review.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Éamon Gilmore welcomed the decision and in particular the fact that the application was not contested. “I understand that there is a process that will now have to be gone through in the courts and, as with all court processes, I don’t think it would be appropriate to comment on those in detail.
“The Irish Government has been strongly supportive of the Finucane family in their requests for further inquiries. So I think what we have to see now play out is the legal process that will go through the courts,” he said.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said that despite admissions of collusion the British government has refused to honour an intergovernmental agreement with the Irish Government made in 2001. “It is outrageous that the British prime minister should erect obstacles before the Finucane family, break commitments given to them and force that family into another court hearing to get to the truth,” he said.