The long-awaited public inquiry into the 1989 murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane formally opened this week with an initial procedural hearing at Bradford Court in south Belfast. The session was chaired by retired Court of Appeals judge Sir Gary Hickinbottom, who will lead the investigation into the circumstances of the killing.

Pat Finucane was shot dead by members of the Ulster Defence Association at his family home in north Belfast. Multiple subsequent investigations concluded that state agencies colluded in the attack, findings that the family has sought to have examined in full through a public inquiry with powers to compel evidence.

The inquiry was established by Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn in 2024, following decades of campaigning by Mr Finucane's widow, Geraldine, and their three children. A 2019 UK Supreme Court ruling had found that previous government inquiries into the murder did not comply with human rights standards.

Geraldine Finucane, speaking outside the venue, described the first day as significant for her family after a wait of more than 37 years. She said the family hoped the inquiry would provide answers to unresolved questions, including who directed the killing, why her husband was targeted, and why they were never warned despite multiple threats.

John Finucane MP, the couple's son, said the opening marked a hard-won moment for the family. He stated that the murder was an attack on the rule of law itself and that the outcome of the inquiry would matter to many other families seeking truth and accountability.

Under the inquiry's terms of reference, it will investigate whether the murder could have been prevented and will have authority to summon witnesses and require the production of documents. The family, alongside UK government bodies, the police, and former police officers, has been granted Core Participation Status, allowing it to request that additional questions be put to witnesses.

The main questioning of witnesses will be conducted by Counsel to the Inquiry Max Hill KC. The family's legal team, led by barrister Danny Friedman, may seek permission from the chair to pose supplementary questions. Two assessors, former Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan and judge Francesca Del Mese, will assist the inquiry but will not be part of the panel or responsible for the final report.

Over the coming months, the inquiry will address how sensitive intelligence material will be disclosed. The government has not yet indicated whether it will use ministerial powers to restrict the public release of certain evidence under the Inquiries Act 2005. Full evidential hearings, including witness cross-examination, are not expected to begin until Spring 2027, with legal experts estimating the process could last at least four years.

An initial series of sessions to hear impact statements from 21 family members and colleagues is scheduled for the autumn. Geraldine Finucane has described the inquiry as a potential watershed moment for dealing with legacy issues, expressing hope that it could lead to wider healing if it fully examines the collusion that affected society during the Troubles.