Finucane Inquiry: Timeline

Key dates in the inquiry's progress, assembled from its recorded milestones and hearing phases.

Hearing-phase dates are taken from the published hearing days; some earlier milestone dates are approximate where the inquiry has not published an exact date.

Milestones & hearing phases

Milestone Hearing phase Reports & costs Still to come
11 Sep 2024
Inquiry announced
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announced a statutory inquiry into the killing of solicitor Patrick Finucane in 1989, following the 2019 Supreme Court judgment that previous investigations had been insufficient under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
13 Jun 2025
Chair appointed
Sir Gary Hickinbottom was appointed Chair of the Inquiry.
9 Mar 2026
Terms of Reference published
The Inquiry's Terms of Reference were published, following consultation with the chair and the Finucane family.
10 Jun 2026
Procedural / preliminary hearing
1 sitting day
To be confirmed
Final report (to be confirmed)
The inquiry has not yet reported.