The head of a controversial legacy body has welcomed a public inquiry into the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane.
Former Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan, who is currently chief commissioner with the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR), has welcomed confirmation from the British government that an independent public inquiry will go ahead after years of campaigning by the Finucane family.
Mr Finucane (39) was shot dead in front of his wife and three children by the UDA/UFF at his family home in north Belfast in February 1989.
In 2012, former Prime Minister David Cameron apologised after a report by Desmond de Silva found there was state collusion in the case.
Several state agents are known to have been involved in the murder.
The ICRIR was set up under the Conservative Party’s Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, which ended all inquests and civil cases, as well as introducing conditional immunity.
It has faced strong opposition with many victims and relatives who believe it to be part of British government attempts to protect state participants from accountability.
Several human rights and campaign groups called for the body to be “scrapped” earlier this week.
Figures published by the commission last Sunday indicated “there have been eight requests for investigation now at the information recovery stage”.
It also said there had been 85 enquiries from victims since it became operational in May.
Questions about the figures provided by the ICRIR have been raised.
While the Labour government has vowed to repeal and replace the Legacy Act, it has said the ICRIR will be retained.
Announcing the inquiry this week Secretary of State Hillary Benn said that as part of his “decision making process” he considered whether to refer Mr Finucane’s case to the ICRIR.
He added that he has “every confidence in its ability, under the leadership of Sir Declan Morgan, to find answers for survivors”.
In a statement the ICRIR said Mr Morgan “welcomes the certainty that this brings to the Finucane family.
“It is long overdue,” the statement added.
“Our focus is on the victims, survivors and families who have come to the independent commission looking for answers.
“Our task is to deliver for them and to recover meaningful and useful information.”
The statement said that until August 31 the “independent Commission has registered 85 requests from individuals which are currently being dealt with by the Case Support team and of those 85 requests eight have now been accepted for investigation and are in the Information Recovery stage.”
