Sinn Féin Leas Uachtarán Michelle O’Neill has said the British government must end its attempts to frustrate those seeking the truth about its role in the conflict and implement legacy mechanisms already agreed.

Michelle O’Neill said:

“The British government’s refusal to honour its commitment and legal obligation to hold a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane typifies its approach to dealing with the past.

“This is a case where it is clear and acknowledged by all that the British state was intimately involved in colluding with loyalist death squads in murder.

“It is inconceivable that any other government in Europe or across the world could expect to acknowledge this, expect to get away with it and continue to deny the truth.

“That is why successive British governments have abjectly failed to honour the commitments and legal responsibilities it has to deal with the past.

“In the Stormont House Agreement the British government, Irish government and main political parties agreed to a package of legacy mechanisms but the British government has ignored this and is still in breach of that agreement.

“It is long past the time the British government stopped insulting and compounding the hurt of victims and families and finally implement the legacy measures it has already agreed to.”