Parliament

Following the publication of its terms of reference in March 2026, The Patrick Finucane Inquiry has been legally established. It held its preliminary hearing in June 2026, with a further hearing scheduled in September.

The Inquiry is an independent statutory public inquiry, established under the Inquiries Act 2005 to complete an Article 2 ECHR compliant investigation into the murder of Patrick Finucane. As the sponsoring department, my officials continue to work closely with the Inquiry whilst ensuring its independence is maintained. The Inquiry is still in its early stages and further work is required before detailed plans can be published. The Chair has been clear that the Inquiry will be rigorous, and will work as quickly and effectively as possible .

Patrick Finucane was brutally murdered in February 1989 in front of his wife, Geraldine, and three children. Mrs Finucane and her family have sought answers about the killing of their loved one for over 37 years. I am pleased that the Patrick Finucane Inquiry has now got underway, following the publication of its terms of reference.

The Inquiry is an independent statutory public inquiry, established under the Inquiries Act 2005 to complete an Article 2 ECHR compliant investigation into the murder of Patrick Finucane. While I am the Sponsor Minister for the Inquiry, it is rightly independent from Government. Inquiry spend is therefore an operational matter for the Inquiry, and details of Inquiry spending will be published on their website in due course.

As I outlined in my oral statement of 11 September 2024, I considered the likely costs and impact of the Patrick Finucane Inquiry on public finances. It is the Government’s expectation that the Inquiry will avoid unnecessary costs given all the previous reviews and investigations and the large amount of information and material that is already in the public domain. Public inquiries regularly publish financial reports on their expenditure in the course of their work.

I am keen that the Inquiry is able to begin its work without undue delay. The Inquiries Act 2005 sets out clear steps to follow in setting up an inquiry, including the appointment of the Chair, agreement on the Terms of Reference, working through the necessary logistics such as facilities and services procurement, and setting up the Inquiry secretariat.

I will provide an update on the Terms of Reference once it has been agreed with the Chair.

The settlement in the Autumn Budget for the Northern Ireland Office includes funding for priorities related to the legacy of the Troubles, including making provision for the establishment of the Inquiry into the death of Patrick Finucane. The bulk of the costs of the Inquiry will fall in the next Spending Round. It is the Government’s expectation that the Inquiry will avoid unnecessary costs given all the previous reviews and investigations, and the large amount of information and material that is already in the public domain.