The British government has confirmed that it will establish a public inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.
The 39-year-old was shot 14 times by loyalist paramilitaries in front of his three children and his wife Geraldine, who was also injured in the attack, in their family home in north Belfast in February 1989.
It was one of the most controversial killings of the Troubles, with allegations of collusion between the killers and security forces.
Several previous examinations of the case found there had been collusion.
His widow Geraldine and the couple's three children have been campaigning for decades for a public inquiry to establish the extent of security force involvement.
In a statement his son John Finucane, the Sinn Féin MP for North Belfast, said the announcement was "very much welcomed by our family".
Follow live: Finucane family welcome confirmation of public inquiry
"The announcement that there will now be a public inquiry into his murder is very much welcomed by our family," he said.
"Led by my mother Geraldine, we have campaigned for decades to uncover the truth behind my father's murder.
"I want to thank every person who has supported our campaign throughout those years. Today belongs to us all.
"After 35 years of cover-ups, it is now time for truth."
Today is for my father, Pat Finucane.
— John Finucane MP (@johnfinucane) September 11, 2024
The announcement that there will now be a public inquiry into his murder is very much welcomed by our family.
Led by my mother Geraldine, we have campaigned for decades to uncover the truth behind my father's murder.
I want to thank… pic.twitter.com/NWl3ikaSF6
Northern Ireland Secretary of State Hilary Benn confirmed that a public inquiry will be established.
He said it is a "plain fact" that a UK government commitment made more than 20 years ago to hold an inquiry into Mr Finucane's murder "remains unfulfilled".
He told the House of Commons: "This government takes its human rights obligations and responsibilities to victims and survivors of the Troubles extremely seriously.
"The plain fact is that two decades on the commitment made by the government - first in the agreement with the Irish government and then to this House - to establish an inquiry into the death of Mr Finucane remains unfulfilled.
"It is for this exceptional reason that I have decided to establish an independent inquiry into the death of Patrick Finucane under the 2005 Inquiries Act."
Mr Benn met Mr Finucane's widow Geraldine, two of their children, including John Finucane, and other family members and legal representatives in Belfast on Tuesday evening to brief them about the British government’s intentions.
Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern said cooperation from the MI5, the UK's security service will be critical to a fair and accurate inquiry into the murder.
Mr Ahern said would be "groundbreaking" if the MI5 were to grant access to its records, Mr Ahern said, adding that such access would allow the inquiry to be a "meaningful" one.
Inquiry a 'vindication' of Finucane family - Taoiseach
He told RTÉ's News at One "If it's to be meaningful, the small print of this will be to see whether we have access to MI5 records, which will be groundbreaking."
He said the UK's Labour government is "honouring prior commitments made" during the tenure of former prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
This inquiry will have broader implications for resolving legacy issues related to the Troubles and will be a "significant" part of Northern Ireland's healing process, Mr Ahern added.
The Irish Government has backed the family’s long-running campaign for a public inquiry.
The issue was discussed by Taoiseach Simon Harris and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer when they met in Dublin on Saturday ahead of the Republic of Ireland’s UEFA Nations League game against England.
They also discussed the case when they met for the first time at Chequers in July.
In 2019, the British Supreme Court said all previous examinations of the death had not been compliant with human rights standards.
The court acknowledged Ms Finucane had been given an "unequivocal undertaking" by the British government following the 2001 Weston Park Agreement that there would be a public inquiry into the murder.
However, the supreme court judges found that the government had been justified in later deciding against holding one.
The court said it was up to the government to decide what form of investigation was now required.
The following year, the government pushed back a decision on a public inquiry, insisting outstanding issues concerning the original police investigation needed to be first examined by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland.
In the years since, Ms Finucane has pursued further legal proceedings challenging the ongoing delays on a decision.
During the summer, the Court of Appeal in Belfast gave the British government a September deadline to confirm what form of human rights-compliant investigation it intends to undertake into the murder.
Additional reporting PA
