TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY has said the government “strongly disagrees” with the decision by the British government not to conduct a public inquiry into the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane.
Speaking in the Dáil today, Kenny said the De Silva report, and Prime Minister David Cameron’s statement today, acknowledge the “shocking extent of state collusion” in the man’s murder and the efforts to subvert and frustrate subsequent investigations into that murder.
While he welcomed Cameron’s condemnation of the “nature and scale of collusion” by security forces, Kenny said the government’s position is that there should be a “full, independent, public inquiry”.
“We have also consistently supported the Finucane family in their efforts to ascertain the full extent of collusion behind Pat Finucane’s murder and the subsequent investigations,” Kenny said in the Dáil.
“I have also spoken today with Geraldine Finucane and I know that the family are not satisfied with today’s outcome.”
Kenny said Finucane’s wife Geraldine has “campaigned tirelessly for the truth about her husband’s murder”.
The Taoiseach said he and the British Prime Minister have agreed to discuss the matter with a view to “redoubling” the commitment to work together to support and develop peace in Northern Ireland.
Speaking in the Dáil today Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said the government will continue to set out why it believes the matter is best served by a public inquiry.
“The Irish Government will continue therefore to seek a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane as committed to in the agreements,” he said.
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