On his official Twitter feed yesterday the political blogger made comments about the hunan-rights lawyer shot dead by loyalists in 1989. Mr Waghorne first tweeted that it was “Astonishing that the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs is wasting time tomorrow on the death of IRA lawyer Pat Finucane“. Later he said the Belfast solicitor’s reputation “as a ‘human rights lawyer’ is more than slightly questionable”. His outburst provoked Mr Finucane’s Dublin-based solicitor son Michael to challenge the political commentator he once represented in legal proceedings in the Republic. Michael Finucane is in Washington giving evidence to the foreign affairs committee in relation to state collusion involved in his father’s murder. In a series of tweets he replied : “You’re quite happy to sully my dad’s name but I acted for you when you needed a lawyer. Was I right or wrong to help you?” Mr Waghorne tweeted : “Your father’s record of defending IRA terrorists is well documented.” Mr Finucane tweeted : “I beleive you’ll find lawyer defends client, not the cause or beliefs. Thats all my dad did. And all I did for you, right?” Mr Waghorne tweeted : “You were free to refuse the brief. Your father was free to to refuse his. He choose to defend IRA terrorists.” Mr Finucane tweeted : “Well, I didn’t refuse you because of what you believe or say and my dad was just as professional. That’s the differnce.” The Washington committee will today be updated on developments in the Finucane investigation since the release of the report by barrister Sir Desmond de Silva and will hear testimony from retired US brigadier general James P Cullen.

With many thanks to : Allison Morris, Irish News.

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A HIGH Court judge is to examine British government meeting notes before deciding whether they should be disclosed to the family of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane. Mr Justice Stephens ruled that he should first inspect a series of documents and emails being sought as part of a legal challenge to the refusal to order a full, independent inquiry into the 1989 shooting.

Confidentiality issues will not make them immune from disclosure, he said. Mr Finucane’s widow Geraldine wants full access to the material including minutes from cabinet meetings and correspondence between Downing Street officials. A review by Sir Desmond due Silva QC has confirmed that agents of the state were involved in the murder and it should have been prevented. However, it concluded that there had been no overarching state conspiracy in the shooting carried out by the UFF at the solicitor’s North Belfast home. Although Prime Minister David Cameron expressed shock at the level of collusion Sir Desmond uncovered, Mrs Finucane said it a sham and a whitewash. During her application for complete disclosure of notes and recordings the court was told of emailed correspondence in which one of Mr Cameron’s closest advisers described the murder as far worse than anything alleged in Iraq or Afghanistan. Sir Jeremy Heywood, now the cabinet secretary, also questioned whether the prime minister beleived it was right to “renege” on a previous administration’s commitment to hold a public inquiry into a killing he referred to as “a dark moment in the country’s history”, the judge was told.

Lawyers for the Finucane family argued that the case is about past and present abuse of state power. They said it involved the killing of a solicitor percived to be “a thorn in the side” of the government, police and security services. It was claimed that a further abuse of power occurred in 2011 when the current government reneged on a commitment to hold ap public inquiry. The court heard details of an email Sir Jeremy sent to Simon King, a private secretary to the prime minister, ahead of a ministerial meeting in July 2011. In correspondence already disclosed to the parties, he asked : “Does the PM seriously think that it’s right to renege on a previous government’s clear commitment to hold a full judicial inquiry ? “This was a dark moment in the country’s history – far worse than anything that was alleged in Iraq/Afghanistan. “I cannot really think of any arguement to defend not having a public inquiry. What am I missing ?” A replay email stated that the prime minister “shares the view this is an awful case, and as bad as it gets, and far worse than any post -9/11 allegation”. Material being sought by the Finucanes’ lawyers includes origional notes, minutes, recordings or transcripts of :

• a meeting of ministers on July 11 2011
• a cabinet meeting on October 11 2011

copies of letters from MI5 to the NIO in February and March 2011.

Delivering judgement on the discovery application, Mr Justice Stephens held that Mrs Finucane’s legal team had established sufficient necessity. He said : “I direct that I should receive and inspect the outstanding documents so that I may decide whether disclosure would give sufficient extra assistance to the applicant’s case, over and above the material that has already been furnished.” Further submissions are to be made on any redactions required should he ultimately decide that the material must be handed over.

With many thanks to : Irish news.

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• Judge will rule on disclosure of notes to Finucanes (belfasttelegraph.co.uk)
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• Pat Finucane: State Sponsored Murder (iamunchienandalusia.wordpress.com)
• British Interests Best Served by Present Arrangements ! (seachranaidhe1.wordpress.com)
• Margaret Thatcher was anti-Irish – my encounter with the British PM in Texas (irishcentral.com)

In essence, this is what I tackled in my book – to what extent was the state involved in a number of controversial killings? Probably we will never know because archives are embargoed, documents have disappeared, memories have faded and participants have died. But my suspicion is that leading politicians were too wily to give direct, traceable “orders” and rather made their wishes known and then granted practitioners in the field considerable autonomy to seek solutions. And they and those practitioners perceived themselves to be a state of war. But as this was not formally a “war” the military could not claim immunity under international law for killing.

What effectively emerged in Northern Ireland was those who acted on behalf of the state and who went beyond the boundaries of the law could expect an implicit form of immunity. It may never prove possible to uncover deliberate intention and a full blown conspiracy behind this and the reality may have been episodic, incident driven and personality driven. But the evidence is clear.

I traced a series of incidents involving counter-insurgency units of the RUC, Army and Intelligence Services geared to tackling suspected nationalist activists or their sympathisers. The early pattern with the RUC and Army units, including the SAS, was to lead suspects into an ambush and when they touched firearms and/or explosives to confront them and when “endangered” open fire. But on many occasions it would appear that the danger was concocted, no warning was given and the suspects were riddled with bullets. On other occasions the suspects were unarmed and no shots were fired at the security forces. The later pattern was that security forces arranged shootings of nationalist suspects by loyalist paramilitaries and Finucane was one of them.

Under normal circumstances such shootings and incidents would have been investigated, the scene inspected, witnesses heard, documents seized and evidence assembled leading to a decision whether or not a prosecution would be mounted. But often these procedures were not followed, investigations were thwarted – including those from outside (as by Stalker), no prosecutions followed and if there ever were sanctions they were mild. The overwhelming evidence is these special units were indelibly biased against nationalist activists and suspects, almost never examined loyalist violence but usually got away with bending or breaking the law.

It is not difficult to see why. These murky deeds would lead to the involvement of the state through its agents in the security services in crimes and illegal killings. Many of these incidents were clouded by practices that almost guaranteed immunity. Occasionally we are allowed a deeper and more profound analysis of what happened. After some forty years there was the Saville Report on Bloody Sunday and now this report on the shooting of a lawyer who had mostly nationalist clients but who had no involvement whatsoever in insurgency. This innocent man should have been warned and protected; instead agents of the state in counter-insurgency units provided loyalist paramilitaries with information that lead to his death in appalling circumstances. And this within the UK, an ostensibly mature, democratic state.

This new report details this collusion at length. But the bigger picture still needs to be told. How high and extensive was state involvement in the bag of dirty tricks employed in Northern Ireland? Isn’t one way to achieve this a solid and convincing Truth and Reconciliation Committee as in South Africa? Instead of piecemeal and painstakingly long inquiries shouldn’t there be a major effort to seek a genuine peace in Northern Ireland? I can imagine that the British government fears what might be revealed. But somehow politicians have to find the strength to bring reconciliation and closure to the people of Northern Ireland who have to endure so much misery and so many lies.

Maurice Punch

Amstelveen, Netherlands, 13-12-12.

BRITISH Army intelligence officers argued over whether Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams should be murdered by the gang who shot dead Pat Finucane.

Secret intelligence documents released within a report on the murder of solicitor Mr Finucane suggest the army’s shadowy Force Research Unit (FRU) was encouraging UDA agent Brian Nelson to organise a murder plot. However, other sections of the intelligence services were fearful of the consequences of the army being connected to the killing of an MP. The intelligence report dated May 21 1987 notes that they were ” perturbed that FRU have paid insufficient regard to the wider implications of this operation”. It adds : ” If the attempt on Adams is to be repeated particularly before the general election ( and Nelson’s links to the army revealed )… then British intelligence and ( the government ) could face accusations of having conspired in the murder of a prospective MP with all the attendant adverse consequence.” The intelligence report author feared that FRU was pushing to ” re-enforce ” Nelson’s ” standing with the UDA “.

The army and the RUC halted the plan to place a bomb on the roof of Mr Adam’s car by increasing ” activity ” in the area. Mr Adams had survived being shot three times in a UDA attack three years earlier. Yesterday the family of Mr Finucane, above, dismissed Sir Desmond de Silva QC’s report. His widow Geraldine described it as ” a sham…. a whitewash…. a confidence trick “. Mrs Finucane renewed her call for a FULL PUBLIC INQUIRY into the murder of her husband in 1989. She said the British government had suppressed the truth and attempted to put all blame on dead individuals and disbanded organisations while exonerating ministers, serving officers and existing security agencies. ” Yet another British government has engineered a suppression of the truth behind the murder of my husband, Pat Finucane, ” Mrs Finucane said. ” At every turn it is clear that this report has done exactly what was required – to give the benefit of the doubt to the state, its cabinet and ministers, to the army, to the intelligence services and to itself. “

WITH MANY THANKS TO : ALLISON MORRIS, IRISH NEWS.

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Pat Finucane was shot dead in 1989

The British government is to publish a review into the killing of Belfast lawyer Pat Finucane on 12 December.

The murdered solicitor’s family have campaigned for a full public inquiry to be held, a demand refused by the British authorities.

The murder of Mr Finucane in front of his wife and family in 1989 was one of the most controversial killings of the Troubles.

It was carried out by loyalist paramilitaries with numerous allegations in the aftermath that British security forces colluded with the killers.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has accepted collusion took place and apologised to the Finucane family but refused to establish a public inquiry – opting instead for a review of the evidence.

This was carried out by the London-based lawyer Desmond de Silva and is to be published next month.

WITH MANY THANKS TO : RTÉ News

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Padraig Pearse

I was listening to Marian Finucane’s podcast interview with Mark Patrick Hederman, the Abbot of Glenstal Abbey, this morning. As I’ve mentioned before I’m a teacher and I find the topic of educational reform quite interesting. The Junior Cert is being reformed by the Department of Education and Mr Hederman had some comments to make about it.

He was lamenting the fact that to this day the primary focus of secondary education is rote learning.

He recalled Patrick Pearse’s description of the education system – a murder machine: a machine that creates fodder for industry and kills creativity in children. Its ironic that the economy is now calling for creative individuals to step forward and help us find a way out of this recession – while at the same time students are being rewarded with college places for their ability to memorise.

Pearse’s progressive writings on education

This debate has been going on for a long time. From Dickens’ critique of the education system in Hard Times to Pearse’s writings on education as shown in A Significant Irish Educationalist – The Educational Writings of P.H. Pearseto the current debate. In this book you can see the devotion Pearse showed to the topic of

educational reform. He was a progressive thinker and prolific writer. Pearse will always be remembered for his leadership of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin. But primarily Pearse was an educationalist.

What would he think now of today’s reforms of the Junior Cert? Would he laud Ruairi Quinn’s efforts

to boost literacy? Or would he see the compromise in the Junior Cert reform in the same way as Mark Patrick Hederman – doomed to failure?

An angled shot of the collapsible rolling tripod rig that shows the rig in the fully collapsed position.

A few years ago, my brother and I decided we wanted to produce independent short films and skits, etc. So, being an enthusiastic engineering student, I began designing and constructing rigs that would help us produce professional quality (or near-professional quality) shots. The first such rig that I built was a “Collapsible Rolling Tripod Rig.” I’m somewhat of a pragmatic minimalist, so I decided to use cheap and readily available materials that are also easy to work with (i.e., 2×4 pieces of wood, and some plywood pieces). The design is fairly straightforward, and consists of four primary components:

• HUB (x1): A central piece of wood (could be any shape, as long as it is large enough to allow the legs to achieve unobstructed pivoting) (1 ft width x 1 ft length x 1 in. depth) (two pieces of 0.5 in. thick plywood were stacked to achieve the required depth).
• LEG (x3): 2 ft. piece of 2×4 finished lumber (most likely fast-growth pine).
• REVOLUTE JOINT (x3): One 3.5 in. long steel bolt, two steel washers, and one appropriate nut (other than yourself).
• WHEEL (x3): One 10 in. diameter, swiveling, pneumatic caster wheel (with appropriate mounting hardware).

The collapsible rolling tripod rig in the fully-opened, locked, and loaded configuration.

In addition to the rig, you will probably want to obtain a few bungee cords to secure the tripod to the rig (as pictured above). The general operation of the rig is very straightforward: loosen the bolts on the joints to allow the legs to be positioned, tighten the bolts to secure the legs in the desired configuration.

That’s it! If you enjoyed this post, or if you find an error (or just simply want to vent your frustration), please leave a comment.

-Sean A. Finucane

.

As this grinds on and on calls for some dealing with the past have become like a mantra with little response. But it continues to go on, the past just isn’t going away. In some way or another it is going to have to be dealt with. Otherwise it will continue to draw pain to the surface time and again without the hope of healing. Each new moment opens old wounds which are offered no healing balm.

It is bad enough with the ongoing call for a Finucane Inquiry. It is bad enough but the opportunity an inquiry seems to have past despite the weighty voices that continue to call for it. It is bad enough to have to listen to the tit-for-tat calls for inquiries but these are not the only matters from the past that have reached the headlines this last week.

The Deputy First Minister made a denial to the Smithwick Tribunal, itself an ongoing inquiry into events of the past, and then the unmentionable was mentioned – will the family of Denis Donaldson ever get the truth about what happened. http://eamonnmallie.com/2012/04/spy-killing-a-dirty-war-and-denis-donaldsons-death-by-brian-rowan/. Eamonn Mallie comments on Rowan’s piece that he is shining,

a light into some dark corners of the intelligence world on the island of Ireland.

Just another place from which some truth trickles but the whole truth, even a sizable piece of truth, slips through the fingers like quicksilver.

Meanwhile Ed Moloney is being interviewed about the Belfast Project, still making the headlines with the ever alive interest in what will happen to the Boston files. http://thepensivequill.am/2012/04/belfast-project-director-ed-moloney.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bigmackers+%28The+Pensive+Quill+-+Anthony+McIntyre%27s+blog%29.

In another perspective the past continues to make it’s hit into todays world through the increasing suicide rate. Amongst the highest in Europe suicide rates are being explained in terms of the legacy of the Troubles, a legacy which is not quietly slipping away. ‘Belfast must collectively acknowledge the hurt and suffering of the Troubles in a bid to tackle the city’s high suicide rates, an international expert has urged.’ http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jlCI3jeBN2IDyl7fDN6dBo1URpRA?docId=N0535171335355357795A

WIMPS has had to launch a TV campaign against punishment attacks which have been rising in frequency, particularly in North and West Belfast. http://wimps.tv/campaigns/end-all-punishment-attacks/. These attacks have been featured on the Nolan Show two days in a row.

Conor Mitchell has written a Requiem for the Disappeared, not all of them yet located, which is to be performed on May 3rd at St Anne’s Cathedral, a world premiere. http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article/4908/requiem-for-the-disappeared. Another dig has begun for Columba McVeigh. For the sake of his family one can only hope and pray that this time they won’t be disappointed.

Meanwhile the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, echoed Minister Deenihan’s speech last week at the Presbyterian Conference when he said in Derry yesterday that,

while recognising that different people can hold differing interpretations of the same events, it will be important that the commemoration of these anniversaries is carried out in a spirit of tolerance and mutual respect.

He was speaking of the need for continuing work to be done for reconciliation and especially as Ireland, North and South, starts out on a decade of centenaries which offer up the potential for something different to be done and a better future to be constructed. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0425/1224315148375.html

There is so much positive talk about remembering events which took place one hundred years ago. But there is no such constructive talk when it comes to our more recent past. There are those who continue to make suggestions as to what might be done but the grassroots process is making far from enough impact on the people who can make it happen in an organised and coherent way that pulls the whole picture into one frame and sets a co-ordinated process in motion. Without that approach, from the bottom to the top of society, stories about the past will continue to slip into the headlines and under the skin of people who are trying to heal. Pictures will persist in flashing without warning on the evening news assaulting the unsuspecting with the eruption of salt-sore memories into their consciousness when all they wanted was to be well and to deal with things in their own, controlled way.

When that is taken alongside the suicide rate, the punishment beatings, the separated housing, the interfaces and the trouble around interfaces, the suspicion that persists even when good motives are declared, as with the early stepping down of the Lord Mayor of Belfast, and I could go on – when taken alongside all of that one has to wonder what the problem really is. What is the problem with those who think this is just going to go away? What on earth gives them the impression that they are right? One hundred years on we have government units in Dublin and Westminster working together to think through how to handle the memory of things long past but we have no such units pulling together on recent history despite the dreadful impacts that history continues to have on families and communities and memory and hope, drastic impacts. What is the problem? Haven’t we yet learned just how precious life is and how imperative it is that we act out of a deep sense of justice and not out of fear?

A long, long time ago, longer than one hundred years, the prophet Micah saw it more clearly than we are seeing it. His words remind us that it is time to bend our efforts to what really matters and to stop pretending that it will all just go away.

The Lord God has told us
what is right
and what he demands:
“See that justice is done,
let mercy be your first concern,
and humbly obey your God.” Micah 6v8

In her research report Progressing Good Relations and Reconciliation in Post-Agreement Northern Ireland Grainne Kelly presents key findings and five year priorities out of which grow eight recommendations. If only one of these were to be considered, and I am certainly not advocating that only one be chosen, then it should be this one which invites all the stakeholders to play their part:

Articulate link between good relations, reconciliation and dealing with the past. For too long ‘dealing with the past’ has been treated as a separate, often mechanistic, process involving specific structures, actions, objectives and constituencies, disengaged from the wider good relations and reconciliation objectives in Northern Ireland. What is required is a

clear articulation of the connections, commonalities and intersections between dealing with the past and broader reconciliation processes at individual, community, political and societal levels. This should replace the current siloing of dealing with the past and relationship-building processes into separate grant programmes, policy documents and community projects. In continuing the development of a framework and action plan for good relations policy and practice work, the report of the Consultative Group on the Past should be revisited and cross- referenced to ensure coherence and consistency of approach and objectives.

However it is done and whatever is used as the foundation for the work in building a more reconciled society it needs to happen or the past will continue to destroy both overtly and covertly.

Mr Gilmore accused London of falling short of a deal struck at the Weston Park peace talks in 2001.

Mr Gilmore said Dublin had already conveyed its dissatisfaction and disappointment and would be preparing a formal response in the coming days.

“There are sometimes occasions when frank disagreements arise between states,” he said.

“This is one on this occasion.”

The Finucane family walked out on a meeting with Mr Cameron at Downing Street last Tuesday when he told them he would ask a senior barrister, Desmond de Silva QC, to review the files into the killing rather than set up a full inquiry.

Mr Gilmore said Taoiseach Enda Kenny was only told about the decision during a telephone call from Mr Cameron shortly before the meeting.

Both Mr Kenny and Mr Gilmore have expressed their dissatisfaction personally with Mr Cameron and Northern Ireland Secretary of State Owen Paterson.

The Finucane family’s legal team will work with Government officials in the coming days on their contacts with the British government in recent months ahead of a formal response from Dublin. Top level meetings are expected to follow.

Mr Gilmore said Ireland had an agreement with Britain over the investigation of certain murders involving alleged State collusion during the Troubles with which Mr Cameron’s government had to comply.

“It is our view that what has been proposed by the British government falls short of that,” he said.

Speaking after a meeting with Mr Gilmore in Dublin, Pat Finucane’s widow Geraldine said he had described last Tuesday’s decision as a dark day for her family, the country and the rule of law.

“I do believe the Government are as upset about what happened on Tuesday as the family are,” she said.

Mrs Finucane said she was disappointed Taoiseach Enda Kenny could not make the meeting but said it was clear anything Mr Gilmore was pledging had the full backing of the Taoiseach.

Michael Finucane, son of Pat Finucane, described the fallout as a significant diplomatic incident.

Mr Finucane said the British government had reneged on a bi-lateral political agreement and he understood the Irish government was seeking the legal advice of the Attorney General.

On the possibility of taking their case to an international court, he said: “Such a step would require detailed consideration and legal advice, but I would imagine it is one option.”

Mr Finucane said the British government had misled his family, the media and the Irish government.

“At the very least their actions are disingenuous in the extreme,” he added.

A masked gang from the loyalist Ulster Defence Association (UDA) shot Pat Finucane in front of his wife and three children as they ate dinner in their north Belfast home in 1989.

The British government has admitted there was state collusion in the murder.

Irish government critical of British stance on Pat Finucane murder review

A rift is growing between the Irish and British governments over the refusal to mount a public inquiry into the 1989 murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane by loyalist paramilitaries.

Irish Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore has met with the Finucane family and offered them the full support of his government and their legal team in their battle for justice.

Labor Party leader Gilmore also admitted to the media after his meeting with the family that the Irish government is none too please with British PM David Caeron’s refusal to hold a public inquiry into the murder.

Gilmore revealed there have been ‘frank disagreements’ on the subject between the two governments. He also acknowledged that the Dublin cabinet is ‘disappointed’ with Cameron’s decision to hold a review of the case.

——————-

READ MORE:

Finucane family refused inquiry by Prime Minister David Cameron

Michael D Higgins launches surprise attack on Martin McGuinness

Sensation as newcomer Sean Gallagher leads race for Irish presidency

——————-

A meeting between the Finucane family and British PM Cameroon ended abruptly last week when he announced the review rather than the public inquiry the family is demanding. Speaking after the Dublin talks with the family, Gilmore said: “What I asked the family to do was to have their legal representatives meet with officials of my department to put together the detail of the contacts that have taken place over the past number of months which led to last Tuesday’s meeting.

“That will form the basis of the formal response which the Irish Government will give to the British government.

“There are sometimes occasions when frank disagreements arise between states. This is one, on this occasion.

“The Government is disappointed at what happened last Tuesday, we have already communicated that to our counterparts in the British government, and we will do so now on a more formal basis.”

Pat Finucane’s widow Geraldine welcomed the meeting with the Irish deputy Prime Minister. She said: “We had a very positive meeting with the Tánaiste (deputy PM) and, in fact, he started off by saying it was a dark day for the family, a dark day for the country and a dark day for the rule of law.

“He has pledged continuing support from the Irish Government and I do believe that the Government are as upset about what happened on Tuesday as the family are.”

Her son Michael Finucane, himself a solicitor, said: “It was made clear that the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) made immediate contact with their counterparts in the British government after our meeting with David Cameron and both were unequivocal in their concern and expressing it to the British government.

“They are deeply unhappy about what has happened, not only because of what it has done to the family but also because of the significant diplomatic incident that it creates between the Irish and British governments.”

Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irish-government-critical-of-British-stance-on-Pat-Finucane-murder-review-132043163.html#ixzz1b9StcRmL

By and on behalf of :

Pat Finucane’s family ‘to set record straight’

Pat Finucane was killed in Belfast in 1989

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore criticised British Prime Minister David Cameron over his refusal to order a public inquiry into the controversial murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.

Mr Gilmore accused London of falling short of a deal struck at the Weston Park peace talks in 2001.

Mr Gilmore said Dublin had already conveyed its dissatisfaction and disappointment and would be preparing a formal response in the coming days.

“There are sometimes occasions when frank disagreements arise between states,” he said.

“This is one on this occasion.”

The Finucane family walked out on a meeting with Mr Cameron at Downing Street last Tuesday when he told them he would ask a senior barrister, Desmond de Silva QC, to review the files into the killing rather than set up a full inquiry.

Mr Gilmore said Taoiseach Enda Kenny was only told about the decision during a telephone call from Mr Cameron shortly before the meeting.

Both Mr Kenny and Mr Gilmore have expressed their dissatisfaction personally with Mr Cameron and Northern Ireland Secretary of State Owen Paterson.

The Finucane family’s legal team will work with Government officials in the coming days on their contacts with the British government in recent months ahead of a formal response from Dublin. Top level meetings are expected to follow.

Mr Gilmore said Ireland had an agreement with Britain over the investigation of certain murders involving alleged State collusion during the Troubles with which Mr Cameron’s government had to comply.

“It is our view that what has been proposed by the British government falls short of that,” he said.

Speaking after a meeting with Mr Gilmore in Dublin, Pat Finucane’s widow Geraldine said he had described last Tuesday’s decision as a dark day for her family, the country and the rule of law.

“I do believe the Government are as upset about what happened on Tuesday as the family are,” she said.

Mrs Finucane said she was disappointed Taoiseach Enda Kenny could not make the meeting but said it was clear anything Mr Gilmore was pledging had the full backing of the Taoiseach.

Michael Finucane, son of Pat Finucane, described the fallout as a significant diplomatic incident.

Mr Finucane said the British government had reneged on a bi-lateral political agreement and he understood the Irish government was seeking the legal advice of the Attorney General.

On the possibility of taking their case to an international court, he said: “Such a step would require detailed consideration and legal advice, but I would imagine it is one option.”

Mr Finucane said the British government had misled his family, the media and the Irish government.

“At the very least their actions are disingenuous in the extreme,” he added.

A masked gang from the loyalist Ulster Defence Association (UDA) shot Pat Finucane in front of his wife and three children as they ate dinner in their north Belfast home in 1989.

The British government has admitted there was state collusion in the murder.

Irish government critical of British stance on Pat Finucane murder review

A rift is growing between the Irish and British governments over the refusal to mount a public inquiry into the 1989 murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane by loyalist paramilitaries.

Irish Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore has met with the Finucane family and offered them the full support of his government and their legal team in their battle for justice.

Labor Party leader Gilmore also admitted to the media after his meeting with the family that the Irish government is none too please with British PM David Caeron’s refusal to hold a public inquiry into the murder.

Gilmore revealed there have been ‘frank disagreements’ on the subject between the two governments. He also acknowledged that the Dublin cabinet is ‘disappointed’ with Cameron’s decision to hold a review of the case.

——————-

READ MORE:

Finucane family refused inquiry by Prime Minister David Cameron

Michael D Higgins launches surprise attack on Martin McGuinness

Sensation as newcomer Sean Gallagher leads race for Irish presidency

——————-

A meeting between the Finucane family and British PM Cameroon ended abruptly last week when he announced the review rather than the public inquiry the family is demanding. Speaking after the Dublin talks with the family, Gilmore said: “What I asked the family to do was to have their legal representatives meet with officials of my department to put together the detail of the contacts that have taken place over the past number of months which led to last Tuesday’s meeting.

“That will form the basis of the formal response which the Irish Government will give to the British government.

“There are sometimes occasions when frank disagreements arise between states. This is one, on this occasion.

“The Government is disappointed at what happened last Tuesday, we have already communicated that to our counterparts in the British government, and we will do so now on a more formal basis.”

Pat Finucane’s widow Geraldine welcomed the meeting with the Irish deputy Prime Minister. She said: “We had a very positive meeting with the Tánaiste (deputy PM) and, in fact, he started off by saying it was a dark day for the family, a dark day for the country and a dark day for the rule of law.

“He has pledged continuing support from the Irish Government and I do believe that the Government are as upset about what happened on Tuesday as the family are.”

Her son Michael Finucane, himself a solicitor, said: “It was made clear that the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) made immediate contact with their counterparts in the British government after our meeting with David Cameron and both were unequivocal in their concern and expressing it to the British government.

“They are deeply unhappy about what has happened, not only because of what it has done to the family but also because of the significant diplomatic incident that it creates between the Irish and British governments.”

Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irish-government-critical-of-British-stance-on-Pat-Finucane-murder-review-132043163.html#ixzz1b9StcRmL

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Pat Finucane’s family ‘to set record straight’