On 11th September 2024, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announced that he would establish an independent statutory inquiry into the murder of Mr Patrick Finucane on 12th February 1989. The inquiry will build upon the previous reviews and investigations which have already been conducted into this case, take specific account of the materials and information provided to and generated by them, and avoid unnecessary duplication of investigation.
The Inquiry will be established under the Inquiries Act 2005
Responsibilities
The post holder will report to the Chair of the Inquiry in terms of line management but will also be overseen by the Senior Sponsor for the Inquiry in the Northern Ireland Office.
The Secretary of an inquiry is one of the Chair’s key advisers, alongside the Solicitor and Counsel to the inquiry. The Secretary role provides leadership to the inquiry team and works alongside the Chair in delivering the Inquiry’s terms of reference (which have yet to be published). The post holder will be responsible, alongside the Inquiry Chair, for building the inquiry team. The team will be made up from a mixture of civil servants, solicitors, paralegals and barristers and the eventual size will depend on the likely volume of work. The Secretary is the key contact between the Inquiry and the sponsor team at the Northern Ireland Office, ensuring that the sponsor is provided with governance assurance while maintaining the independence of the Inquiry.
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