Kenny adds voice to call for Finucane inquiry

The leader of Fine Gael, Enda Kenny, has added his voice to calls for an independent inquiry into the 1989 murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.

Geraldine Finucane, wife of murdered Solicitor Pat Finucane.

Mr Finucane's widow Geraldine and family members met with political party leaders in Dublin this afternoon in their campaign for an independent statutory inquiry into the 1989 crime.

"We are meeting the party leaders to ask them to persuade the Taoiseach to put pressure on the British government to reveal full details of Pat's murder," Mrs Finucane said.

Green Party leader Trevor Sargent, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Progressive Democrat leader, Mary Harney met with Mr Finucane's widow Geraldine this afternoon.

Following the meeting with Mr Kenny, the Fine Gael leader said:

"It is fundamental that the facts and circumstances surrounding this case are put before the public. That is why I am calling for a full public enquiry, in line with the recommendations made by Judge Peter Cory, supporting the campaign by the family on the murder of Pat Finucane."

The family recently met the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and Reg Empey with Church of Ireland Archbishop Robin Eames, as part of a series of meetings across the political spectrum in and outside Northern Ireland.

The family is concerned about the impartiality of any inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 and is seeking a fully independent and open inquiry into the solicitor's murder at the hands of loyalist killers.

"We don't believe the truth will come out at all with the Inquiries Act," Mrs Finucane said.

Amnesty International has urged senior judges not to sit on the public inquiry into the murder under the Inquiries Act.

The Finucane family, Judge Cory, human rights organisations and nationalist political representatives have criticised the British government's decision last year to set up a tribunal into Mr Finucane's shooting under the terms of the new Inquiries Act, claiming it will restrict information.