Irish Government ‘hypocrisy’ accusation over Finucane inquiry call

The Belfast solicitor, 39, was shot dead by loyalists, in front of his wife and children, at their north Belfast home in 1989.

On Thursday, the lawyer’s son and current Sinn Fein MP John Finucane said Mr Martin has lobbied the UK’s Prime Minister – ahead of this week’s deadline for the UK Government to respond to a Supreme Court ruling on the lack of a human rights compliant investigation.

Mr Finucane told an Irish parliamentary committee that a fully independent public judicial inquiry was the “only mechanism” that could “fully grasp all of the issues” that led to his father’s murder.

In response, DUP MP Gregory Campbell said that while every family “has the right and deserves to see justice for the murder of loved ones,” the Finucane family, unlike thousands of bereaved families, know who the perpetrator was, and have seen investigations, court appearances and convictions.

Mr Campbell said: “The Supreme Court however did not order a public inquiry to be held. There are countless families across Northern Ireland who have seen no effective investigation into the murder of their loved ones, let alone an investigation under the Inquiries Act that was rejected by the Finucane family.

“The hypocrisy of the Irish Government is also clear to see when they continually demand investigations and action from the United Kingdom Government, but stonewall investigations into IRA terrorism and activities that occurred within their own jurisdiction.”

The Ulster Unionist’s justice spokesperson, Doug Beattie, has also said that “Dublin needs to practice what it preaches” when it comes to legacy matters.

“The UUP has been calling on the Republic’s government to account for the role played by Dublin during the Troubles, not least at the outset, given the recent revelations and claims about the 1970 Arms Trial and the fact that the IRA ‘s chief of staff was a Garda agent.

“We also need to examine in detail just how for decades the IRA was able to use the territory of the Republic to maintain arms dumps, training camps and launch cross border bomb and gun attacks which cost the lives of hundreds of UK citizens.

“If Micheal Martin really wants to see a legacy Inquiry established, he could set an example by opening one in Dublin,” Mr Beattie said.

Mr Beattie added: “Innocent victims will be watching keenly to see if the Government does decide to hold a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane. There has certainly been no pressure applied from Dublin or the USA to hold inquiries into the murder of other legal figures such as Edgar Graham, Lord Justice Gibson or Judge Rory Conaghan, to name but three.

“We are constantly told there can be no hierarchy of victims, so the families of other Troubles related murder victims will be watching with interest to see what is to be done for them, in the interest of human rights and equality.”

TUV leader Jim Alllister was also critical of the taoiseach’s intervention, saying: “Micheal Martin would be well advised to get his own house in order” before looking at anyone else.

“For the entirety of the PIRA campaign the Republic acted as a safe haven for terrorists,” he said.

“The focus of the media and nationalism north and south on the Finucane case is typical of the double standards which have operated throughout the ‘peace process.’

“There is justifiable anger and hurt across Northern Ireland that the loved ones of many innocent victims do not have any prospect of justice much less public inquiries.”

Mr Allister added: “The Prime Minister should not just ignore Dublin’s request but should start standing up for the rights of the many British citizens who lost their lives as a result of the approach of the Irish Republic to terrorism originating from within their borders.

“Fifty years ago this year we had the Arms Trial which raised very serious questions about the role of the Republic of Ireland in the formation of the Provisional IRA. It is shameful that our government is so weak that it doesn’t immediately demand answers on this every time Dublin appears with a new set of grievances.”

Victims Campaigner Kenny Donaldson said that while there is no doubt the murder of Pat Finucane was “entirely wrong and without justification,” John Finucane should clearly state that all violent acts in pursuit of political objectives were equally wrong.

Mr Donaldson said: “This is the moral abyss at the heart of our society; SEFF (South East Fermanagh Foundation) and IVU (Innocent Victims United) consistently state that there was no justification for the use of criminal violence in the furtherance of or defence of a political objective, irrespective of who the perpetrators are; whether republican, loyalist or individual members of the security forces.”

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