THE widow of Belfast human rights solicitor Pat Finucane has described as a "watershed moment" the British government's announced of a public inquiry into his murder, 35 years ago.
Mr Finucane was shot dead by a UDA gang at his North Belfast home in front of his family in February 1989.
Subsequent official reports concluded that there was collusion between loyalists and the British state in the murder, for which former Prime Minister David Cameron apologised on behalf of the British government.
For years the Finucane family have campaigned for a public inquiry into the murder. In 2019 the UK Supreme Court found that earlier investigations had failed to meet standards required of Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights – which is the right to life protected by law.
On Wednesday afternoon, Secretary of State Hilary Benn announced that an independent statutory public inquiry will be established into the murder of Mr Finucane.
The press conference at St Comgall's was very emotional
Speaking at a press conference at St Comgall's in Belfast following the announcement, Geraldine Finucane said: "After 35 years of campaigning for such an inquiry, I believe this announcement represents a significant step forward for my family in our fight to uncover all of the circumstances behind Pat's murder.
"It has been a long journey to get to the point where the establishment of an independent public inquiry has finally become a reality. I look forward to having the opportunity to participate in a statutory inquiry and expose publicly the whole truth behind the murder of my husband.
"This has always been the objective of the campaign that my family and I have pursued for 35 years. We have only ever been concerned with uncovering the truth. It is this that has kept us going. It is the thing that has been missing, all these years. We did not believe that his murder was simply the work of gunmen who killed him. We had no confidence that police investigations would ever bring those truly responsible to justice. We were not satisfied with private, limited reviews from which we were excluded. We could not and did not accept the assurances of previous British governments that they were anxious to set the record straight, because they were never prepared to do so in public.
"An independent, statutory public inquiry is and was the only way to bring the whole truth behind the murder of Pat Finucane into the light of day.
WATCH: @johnfinucane reacts after Secretary of State announces independent public inquiry into his father’s murder. pic.twitter.com/73FKdlrver
— Andersonstown News (@ATownNews) September 11, 2024
"The journey to this point is not one that my family and I have had to endure alone. Indeed, we would never have succeeded without the assistance and support and encouragement of so many people over the years. I could not begin to thank them all by name here today. So many people, all over the world, were willing to give generously of their time and talent again and again. I want to record my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to each and every one of them. We would not be here today without them.
"However, I would like to single out one person out for special mention, and that is Peter Madden. Peter was my husband's business partner and friend, throughout Pat's all-too-short legal career. He has been a source of unending strength and resilience. I cannot thank him enough for what he has done for my family, or, indeed, the entire legal team that has represented us so fearlessly and brilliantly in our fight for a public inquiry.
"Most of all, I believe this inquiry can be a watershed moment in the difficult subject of legacy in this part of our island. If a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane can finally publicly examine all of the collusion that plagued our society for so many years, then there is hope that the real process of healing can begin. The murder of Pat Finucane is the last remaining Weston Park case. It is high time it was properly investigated, publicly examined, and finally resolved.
"I believe that my family deserve this after so many years. Pat Finucane deserves this after so many years. Society as a whole deserves this, after so many years. After 35 years of cover-ups, it is time for truth."
