Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

When I went to Belfast to present an award to Geraldine Finucane and her family I met the family in private and undertook to raise the question of a public inquiry into the death of Pat Finucane when I had the opportunity to travel to the United States. Subsequently I answered questions in the House from a number of Deputies on this. When I met President Obama I took the opportunity to raise it with him at the highest level. President Obama is aware of the situation in so far as this was an international agreement in which both governments indicated they would act on the recommendation given by Judge Cory. The Irish Government responded in accordance with this international agreement and established the Smithwick tribunal into the deaths of Buchanan and others. The British Government took a different view and appointed a Queens Counsel, Mr. de Silva, to examine all of the papers relevant to Pat Finucane on the assumption this might deal with their end of the agreement. It does not and will not. From this point of view I have raised the matter with the British Prime Minister on a number of occasions. On every opportunity I have had to do so I have raised it. Subsequently I spoke to Mrs. Finucane in the United States and she was grateful that I raised it with the US President. I will continue to do so. As Deputy Martin is aware, there is an all-party motion from a number of years ago in my name that there should be a public inquiry into the death of Pat Finucane and I stand by this very strongly. I was asked to raise it and I did so with the President directly.

With regard to the background note mentioned by Deputy Martin, I believe I attended 34 functions during the course of the few days I was in the United States. Paragraph three of the background note stated the complete guest list for the event was not yet available but according to www.ireland-day.com the event would involve more than 300 executives from leading international firms including Fortune 500 companies, venture capital firms, entrepreneurial start-ups and financial and life sciences organisations from the US, Ireland and throughout the world. It also listed a number of these people. I did not see the background note myself

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