Senior judge to chair inquiry into murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane

A senior judge has been appointed to chair an independent inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.
Mr Finucane (39) was shot dead at his family home in north Belfast in 1989 by the Ulster Defence Association in an attack found by a series of probes to have involved collusion with the British state.
His widow and the couple's three children have been campaigning for decades for a public inquiry to establish the extent of security force involvement.
Last year Secretary of State Hilary Benn announced the UK Government would establish an independent inquiry into the circumstances of Mr Finucane's death.
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It is to be established under the Inquiries Act 2005, with full powers, including the power to compel the production of documents and to summon witnesses to give evidence on oath.
On Friday morning, Mr Benn announced he has appointed Gary Hickinbottom as chairman of the Patrick Finucane Inquiry.
Sir Gary is the current president of the Welsh Tribunals and is a retired Court of Appeal Judge, who undertook the statutory inquiry into corruption and governance in the British Virgin Islands.
Mr Benn has also appointed the former police ombudsman for Northern Ireland Nuala O'Loan as well as Francesca Del Mese as assessors to the inquiry.
The next step in the process involves Mr Benn consulting with Mr Hickinbottom on the proposed terms of reference for the inquiry.
Mr Benn said he is confident the inquiry will provide answers to Mr Finucane's family.
'The murder of Mr Finucane was a barbarous and heinous crime, and one which continues to highlight the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland,' he said.
Mr Hickinbottom said:'At the heart of this case lies a family who lost their husband and father in horrific circumstances, and I look forward to meeting the Finucane family in Belfast as soon as possible.' —PA

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The Irish Sun

6 hours ago

• The Irish Sun

Suicide pod inventor ‘vows to bring device to UK' after assisted dying vote despite mystery over ‘murder' of woman

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However, the pod became the centre of an alleged murder investigation after the first woman to die inside it was allegedly found with strangulation marks on her neck. Advertisement The anonymous woman, 64 and identified as an American citizen, set up in a forest in Switzerland . The woman is said to have initiated the dying process herself by pressing a button while lying in the pod in the middle of the forest. What measures are included in the bill? THE Assisted Dying Bill is one step closer to becoming law, meaning terminally ill adults are set to be given the legal right to end their lives. But the Bill - which has undergone significant changes at each stage - doesn't come without strict safeguards. Many things have been stripped out, so what remains? APPROVAL FROM DOCTORS AND AN EXPERT PANEL When the Bill was originally proposed, it was planned that a High Court judge would have the final say in each and every case. 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As part of the probe, prosecutors investigated whether he strangled the woman, but that was ruled out. Willet was released in December after being held in pre-trial detention for 70 days. He reportedly died in Germany with the help of a specialist organisation, though it is not known exactly how he died. Advertisement YOU'RE NOT ALONE EVERY 90 minutes in the UK, a life is lost to suicide. It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society - from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others... You're Not Alone. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, Heads Together, Mind, Papyrus, Samaritans,

Irish Examiner

10 hours ago

• Irish Examiner

Leaders on both sides of the border urge completion of Casement Park

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Irish Times

10 hours ago

• Irish Times

Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill declines to rule out presidential run

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill has declined to rule out a bid for the presidency . Asked on Friday if she was considering putting her name forward, Ms O'Neill replied: 'I am working my way through our deliberations as we speak.' The Sinn Féin vice-president said the party had not finalised its deliberations on the subject. 'I think I've plenty to do, being First Minister,' Ms O'Neill said at a press conference in Co Armagh . 'But I would think the fact remains that I could stand for election, I could be elected as Uachtarán na hÉireann, but I can't vote in that election, so that's where there's a deficit and what we need to see is presidential voting rights extended to the North so the Irish citizens in the North can vote.' READ MORE Separately on Friday, former SDLP leader Colum Eastwood told the BBC that people had asked him to consider standing for the presidency. 'I'm going to take the time to think about it,' Mr Eastwood said. While SDLP leader, Mr Eastwood was involved in talks with Fianna Fáil about closer co-operation between the parties, although no agreement was progressed. It is expected that should he run in the presidential election, it would be as a Fianna Fáil candidate. Taoiseach Micheál Martin was asked if Mr Eastwood might stand on his party's behalf but he said there had been 'no contact with me' and 'no engagement that I'm aware of with Fianna Fáil'. 'It hasn't been on the agenda at all, I was surprised when I heard that this morning,' Mr Martin said. [ Nobody wants the presidency and its €250k salary. Why? Opens in new window ] On Friday, Mr Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris, and Cabinet members joined Ms O'Neill, Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly , and members of the Stormont Executive for a plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in Armagh. Topics the meeting focused on included US tariffs and trade, potential co-operation on gender-based violence, mother and baby institutions and Magdalene laundries . It also addressed infrastructure projects and an air route between Derry and Dublin. . Ministers also discussed the redevelopment of Casement Park GAA stadium in Belfast, a project currently facing a funding shortfall. Last week the UK government said it would allocate £50 million (€59 million) to support the rebuild, with the Irish Government also set to contribute £50 million. However, even with other money from the GAA and Northern Ireland's Executive, the project is about £90 million (€105 million) short of what is required to develop a 34,000-seater stadium. A smaller ground could be built with the approximate £120 million available. At a press conference following the meeting, the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and First Minister and Deputy First Minister were clear that now was the time to proceed. 'I think it is about not letting this moment pass,' Mr Harris said. 'Let's not look back in a number of years and see that this moment was squandered.' The Taoiseach said it was 'very important the moment is seized, when significant amounts of money are now on the table, that the stadium can be built here and can be developed'. Ms O'Neill said it was time for all partners involved to come together and find a way to start the work and complete the project. Meanwhile, Ms Little-Pengelly rejected comments by former taoiseach Leo Varadkar to the BBC on Thursday that Ireland was on a 'trajectory' towards unity . He said the most recent numbers show 'a very clear majority of younger people in Northern Ireland want there to be a new united Ireland'. Ms Little-Pengelly said he was 'entitled to reinvent himself in whatever way he so chooses, but he is wrong in terms of the trajectory … I don't accept that it is an inevitability'. Is Conor McGregor really the only person who wants to be President of Ireland? Listen | 19:19