H. Res. 740

In the House of Representatives, U.S., 

May 18 (legislative day, May 17), 2006.

Whereas human rights defense attorney and solicitor Patrick 

Finucane was brutally murdered in front of his wife and 

children at his home in Belfast on February 12, 1989; 

Whereas many international bodies and nongovernmental 

human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, British Irish Rights Watch, the Committee for 

the Administration of Justice, and Human Rights First, 

have called attention to serious allegations of collusion 

between loyalist paramilitaries and British security forces 

in the murder of Mr. Finucane; 

Whereas in July 2001 the Governments of Ireland and the 

United Kingdom under terms of the Weston Park Agreement appointed retired Canadian Judge Peter Cory to investigate the allegations of collusion between loyalist 

paramilitaries and British security forces in the murder 

of Mr. Finucane and other individuals; 

Whereas Judge Cory reported to the Governments of Ireland 

and the United Kingdom in April 2004 that sufficient 

evidence of collusion existed to warrant a public independent, judicial inquiry into the murder of Mr. 

Finucane and recommended that a public inquiry take 

place without delay; 
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Whereas the Government of the United Kingdom in April 

2005 adopted the Inquiries Act 2005 which empowers the 

Government to block scrutiny of state actions and limits 

independent action by the judiciary in inquiries held 

under its terms, and, after the enactment of this legislation establishing new limited inquiry procedures, the Government announced that an inquiry into the murder of 

Mr. Finucane would be established which would operate 

under terms of the new legislation; 

Whereas Judge Cory, in a written statement presented to the 

Committee on International Relations of the House of 

Representatives in 2005, stated that his 2004 recommendation for a public inquiry into the murder of Mr. 

Finucane had ‘‘contemplated a true public inquiry constituted and acting pursuant to the provisions of the 

1921 Act’’ (the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 

1921), and also stated that ‘‘it seems to me that the proposed new Act would make a meaningful inquiry impossible’’; 

Whereas the family of Mr. Finucane has rejected the limited 

authority of an inquiry conducted under terms of the Inquiries Act of 2005; 

Whereas Amnesty International, British Irish Rights Watch, 

the Committee for the Administration of Justice, and 

Human Rights First have likewise rejected any proposed 

inquiry into the murder of Mr. Finucane established 

under procedures of the Inquiries Act of 2005 and have 

called for the repeal of the Act; 

Whereas the Dial Eireann (Parliament of Ireland) adopted a 

resolution on March 8, 2006, calling for the establishment of a full public independent judicial inquiry into the 

murder of Patrick Finucane; and 
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Whereas the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal 

Year 2003 (Public Law 107–228) and House Resolution 

128 (April 20, 1999) support the establishment of a public independent judicial inquiry into the murder of Patrick Finucane: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) expresses to the family of Patrick Finucane 

deepest condolences on his death, commends their steadfast pursuit of justice in his brutal murder, and thanks 

his wife Geraldine and son Michael for their willingness 

to testify on this matter before committees of the House 

of Representatives on numerous occasions; 

(2) supports the efforts of the Administration in 

seeking the full implementation of the Weston Park 

Agreement and the establishment of an independent judicial inquiry into the murder of Patrick Finucane; 

(3) calls on the Government of the United Kingdom 

to reconsider its position on the matter of an inquiry 

into the murder of Mr. Finucane, to amend the Inquiries 

Act of 2005, and to take fully into account the objections of Judge Cory, objections raised by officials of the 

United States Government, other governments, and 

international bodies, and the objections raised by Mr. 

Finucane’s family; and 

(4) urges the Government of the United Kingdom 

immediately to establish a full, independent, and public 
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judicial inquiry into the murder of Patrick Finucane 

which would enjoy the full cooperation and support of 

his family, the people of Northern Ireland, and the international community as recommended by Judge Cory.

Attest: 

Clerk.