These answers summarise the public record as of November 2026. Each one links back to a longer guide, and the documents page lists the primary sources.
The case
Who was Pat Finucane? A Belfast solicitor, born in 1949, who set up a practice in the city and became known for criminal defence work and cases challenging the state, including inquests into killings by the security forces. He was murdered at his home in north Belfast on 12 February 1989. He was 39.
Why are there so many reports? Because each investigation found something that led to the next one. The first Stevens investigation exposed Brian Nelson as an Army agent inside the UDA. Later work showed that the man who supplied the murder weapon was a police agent. A judge then recommended a public inquiry, the government commissioned a review instead, and the courts later ruled that the investigation was still incomplete.
The 2012 review
What was its remit? To produce a full public account of any state involvement in the murder. It had access to the government's files but no statutory power to compel witnesses. See our guide to chapter 1.
Where can I read it? The official text is on GOV.UK. Our reader's guide summarises each chapter.
What did the Prime Minister say? On 12 December 2012 he told the House of Commons that the report revealed shocking levels of state collusion and apologised to the family. See publication day.
After 2012
What changed in 2024? On 11 September 2024 the Northern Ireland Secretary, Hilary Benn, announced a public inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005. Sir Gary Hickinbottom was named as chair in June 2025, and the terms of reference followed on 9 March 2026.
Does the 2023 Legacy Act affect the inquiry? The inquiry was set up under the Inquiries Act 2005 by ministerial decision. The wider legacy framework has been the subject of court challenges and new legislation; our article on the 2021 legacy proposals explains that history.
Questions
Is this the official Pat Finucane Review or the public inquiry?
No. The Pat Finucane Review was a UK Government review led by Sir Desmond de Silva QC that reported in December 2012. The Patrick Finucane Inquiry is a separate statutory inquiry announced in 2024. This site is an independent guide with no connection to either.
Who killed Pat Finucane?
He was shot by gunmen from the loyalist Ulster Defence Association. In September 2004 Ken Barrett, a UDA member, pleaded guilty to the murder and received a life sentence; he was released in 2006 under the early-release scheme created by the Good Friday Agreement. The question the reviews examined was the extent of state involvement.
What is the difference between the Stevens, Cory and de Silva reports?
Sir John Stevens led three police investigations between 1989 and 2003; his 2003 overview found collusion. Judge Peter Cory, appointed after the 2001 Weston Park talks, reported in 2004 that there was enough evidence to justify a public inquiry. Sir Desmond de Silva carried out a document-based review commissioned in 2011 and reported in December 2012.
Did the 2012 report say the government ordered the murder?
No. De Silva found no over-arching state conspiracy and no evidence that any government minister knew of the murder in advance. He did find that the threshold for collusion was met and that state employees took actions that, in his words, furthered and facilitated the murder.
Why did the Finucane family reject the review?
The family had campaigned for a full public inquiry since the 1990s, citing the commitment made at Weston Park in 2001. They declined to meet the de Silva review, which had no power to compel witnesses and did not hold public hearings.
What did the Supreme Court decide in 2019?
In February 2019 the UK Supreme Court held that there had not been an inquiry into the death that met the requirements of Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It made a declaration to that effect but did not order a public inquiry, leaving the form of any further investigation to the government.
When will the public inquiry report?
No date has been set. The inquiry held a procedural hearing in June 2026. Press reports said evidence hearings were not expected before spring 2027, and legal commentators expected the inquiry to take several years.
Can I send information to the inquiry through this site?
No. We cannot pass on information. Please contact the Patrick Finucane Inquiry through its official channels.