Mr Finucane, who co-founded Madden & Finucane Solicitors, was murdered in his home in north Belfast on 12 February 1989 by loyalist paramilitaries who acted in collusion with UK security forces.

His family have long campaigned for a public inquiry into the killing and his widow, Geraldine Finucane, has repeatedly brought legal actions aimed at forcing the UK government to establish an inquiry.

A major milestone was the UK Supreme Court’s ruling in February 2019 that the UK had failed to deliver an ECHR Article 2-compliant investigation into Mr Finucane’s death.

Northern Ireland secretary Hilary Benn finally announced in September 2024 that an independent public inquiry would take place. Sir Gary Hickinbottom was appointed in June 2025 to chair the inquiry, supported by Baroness Nuala O’Loan and Francesca Del Mese as assessors.

In a statement marking the 37th anniversary of Mr Finucane’s killing, Mrs Finucane said the family felt “growing frustration at the continuing delay in allowing the long-promised public inquiry to begin its work”.

She said the family had given feedback on the draft terms of reference in November 2025 and did not understand why the finalised terms had not yet been published three months later.

“Until the terms of reference are set, the inquiry is not fully constituted and cannot begin its work fully or properly,” she said.

“This delay is preventing progress and engagement in a case where delay has already caused profound harm over almost four decades.

“We want to be clear: our family wants this inquiry to commence. We want to engage with it and work constructively with it.

“On this anniversary, we are simply asking that the terms of reference be published so that this long-overdue inquiry can finally begin.”

A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Office said: “The murder of Patrick Finucane was a barbarous crime and, given the exceptional circumstances of this case, a public inquiry is being established to provide answers long sought by his family.

“The government is working expeditiously to finalise the terms of reference with the independent inquiry chair so the inquiry is able to begin its work without undue delay.”