Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the recent discussions he has had with the British Government in relation to the De Silva Report and the need to have a full public enquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10343/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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As the Taoiseach made clear in the Dáil on 12 February, the twenty fourth anniversary of Pat Finucane’s murder, the Government’s position remains in favour of an independent public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane, in line with the all-party view in this House. Agreement by the British government to hold such an inquiry would fulfil its commitment in the Weston Park Agreement; on the basis of the findings of Judge Cory on the likelihood of state collusion. The work undertaken by Desmond De Silva QC can facilitate this, in my opinion, by helping ensure that an independent public inquiry need not be lengthy, open-ended and inordinately expensive. As I said at the time, we must build on the progress made thus far. In my contacts with Secretary of State Villiers following the publication, I made clear that the Irish Government will continue to seek an independent public inquiry. The Taoiseach also conveyed this directly to Prime Minister Cameron. I will continue to make it clear to the Secretary of State that full implementation of the Weston Park Agreement remains a priority moral and political imperative for the Government.