Finucane family meets Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn

The Government is considering its response to a Belfast court’s request in relation to the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane in 1989.

The family of Pat Finucane (left-right), Seamus Finucane, Geraldine Finucane, Katherine Finucane and John Finucane, arrive at Erskine House in Belfast to meet Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn to discuss the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane in 1989 (Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Wire)

The family of Pat Finucane has met Hilary Benn as the UK Government mulls a court request in relation to the solicitor’s murder.

Mr Finucane, 39, was shot dead in his family home in north Belfast in February 1989 by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) in an attack found to have involved collusion with the State.

In February 2019, a Supreme Court ruling said investigations into the fatal shooting of the solicitor had not been effective and fell short of international human rights standards.

The Secretary of State has been clear about wanting to find a way forward on this case as soon as possible, taking account of the views of Mrs Finucane

Northern Ireland Office spokesman

In November 2020, the UK Government again refused a public inquiry into the circumstances of Mr Finucane’s killing.

A Belfast Court of Appeal ruling in July gave the new UK Government three weeks to state how it would carry out an investigation into the lawyer’s death in compliance with Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

This timeline was extended as the new Labour Government considers its response.

Mr Finucane’s widow Geraldine; his son John Finucane, a Sinn Fein MP for North Belfast; his son Michael; and his daughter Katherine attended the meeting with the Northern Ireland Secretary at Erskine House on Tuesday.

Also in attendance were Mr Finucane’s two brothers Seamus and Martin.

Mrs Finucane had met Mr Benn in July when she restated her call for a full independent judicial inquiry into her husband’s murder.

A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Office said in a statement to the PA news agency: “The Secretary of State has been clear about wanting to find a way forward on this case as soon as possible, taking account of the views of Mrs Finucane.

“We will provide further information on our response to the court in due course.”