Thank for joining us as a public inquiry was ordered into Pat Finucane's murder.

Here's a quick recap of today's events:

• NI Secretary Hilary Benn has announced a public inquiry into the 1989 murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane

• First Minister Michelle O'Neill has welcomed the inquiry and says "today is a testament to the unwavering spirit and resolve" of the Finucane family
• DUP leader Gavin Robinson says today's announcement "perpetuates a hierarchy" and sends the message "that this murder was more deserving of investigation than others"

• Pat Finucane’s wife Geraldine, who was also wounded in the attack, said it has been a “long journey”
• Mrs Finucane added she believes this inquiry could be a "watershed moment in the difficult subject of legacy"

• John Finucane said the family have "had to fight tooth and nail every step of the way"
• He added it is not the end of their journey and that the "real battle" will begin

This concludes our live coverage for today, but there is more on this story here.

Image source, Pacemaker

This page was edited by Matt Fox with additional reporting from Ashleigh Swan, Catherine Doyle and Barry O'Connor.

The victims' group Relatives for Justice have praised the Finucane family's "tenacious, courageous and unending pursuit of truth and justice".

The group posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the Finucanes "deserve our thanks on this day"., external

Kenny Donaldson, the director of the South East Fermanagh Foundation victims' group, has told BBC News NI that he thinks the murder of Pat Finucane was "entirely wrong and without justification".

However, he said, "we are very conscious that many other victims and survivors are watching events unfold".

He said other victims will be "asking that obvious question" regarding "the amount of resourcing that has gone into this particular case", in comparison to their own.

The US Consulate in Belfast has said it welcomes today’s commitment by the UK government to initiate a public inquiry into the 1989 murder of Pat Finucane.

"We recognize the complexity in addressing the legacy of violence in Northern Ireland as well as the deep and enduring pain of those who lost loved ones," the consulate shared on X, external.

"It is our hope that the inquiry and its findings will provide the information the Finucane family have been looking for."

Image source, Reuters

Also reacting to the news this afternoon is Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald, who has said: "For decades the courageous family of Pat Finucane has led a dignified campaign seeking a public inquiry into his murder."

"They never gave up. They never gave in. Today their determination, strength and love has secured that inquiry," she writes on social media.

Image source, PA Media

"My thoughts are with Pat’s wife, the indomitable Geraldine and their children, Katherine, Michael and John," McDonald adds.

"The Finucanes have walked a long, hard road to truth and justice. I hope this will be the final length of the journey. We will be with them every step of the way."

Image source, PA Media

In a social media post, the former UUP leader Doug Beattie said: "Every victim, and their families, deserve truth, justice and accountability.

"I hope the Finucane family gets the information they have campaigned many years for."

As we mentioned earlier, this inquiry will not be the first time Pat Finucane's murder has been examined.

Earlier reports by Judge Cory and Lord Stevens found clear conclusions that were was collusion over the solicitor's murder, but there was still only limited information in the public domain.

This led to former United Nations war crimes prosecutor Sir Desmond de Silva being asked by the government to carry out a review of all the existing documentation on Mr Finucane's murder.

Image source, PA Media

His report in 2012 confirmed agents of the state were involved in the 1989 killing and that it should have been prevented.

It found RUC officers proposed Mr Finucane be killed, said they passed information to his killers, failed to stop the attack and then obstructed the murder investigation.

It also found that an Army intelligence unit, the Force Reaction Unit, bore a degree of responsibility because one of its agents, Nelson, was involved in selecting targets.

Sir Desmond found that there was "no overarching state conspiracy", but his report prompted the prime minister at the time, David Cameron, to apologise for "frankly shocking levels of collusion".

The Finucanes argued that the report left many questions unanswered.

The establishment of a public inquiry is 'hugely significant" and has to be welcomed, John Finucane added.

He said the family look forward to engaging with an inquiry that is "credible".

Finucane finished by saying that he knows it is not the end of their journey and that the "real battle" will begin, but highlighted that today is a "vindication" of his mother's strength and leadership.

Image source, PA Media

John Finucane told reporters that other victims and survivors, like the Bloody Sunday families, have inspired him.

"When I see other families, having worked tirelessly for decades, getting the answers they have fought for, that’s given us a boost," he said.

John Finucane added that they helped in the “dark days” when he doubted today's announcement would come.

"People can make up their own minds as to how the Finucane family have been treated," he said.

A member of the press asked the family for their thoughts on the other families who are not being granted an inquiry.

He also asked how the family would respond to the suggestion that they have received "preferential treatment".

John Finucane said he hears the term preferential treatment and finds it hard to indulge that with the experience his family have been through for 35 years.

"Every single bit of progress we have had as a family had to be fought for, its never been handed to us," he said.

"We have had to fight tooth and nail every step of the way."

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Talking about how today's announcement came about, Geraldine said the courts had "got fed up" with the UK government "delaying and delaying all the time".

Geraldine also said the new government has "helped".

"Hilary Benn seems like a genuine guy who wants to bring closure to a commitment made twice by previous governments."

"Finally let’s have some closure on this," she added.

Image source, PA Media

Stay with us while we bring you some further lines from the Finucane family.

"We find ourselves here today - over 35 years later with the British government accepting that there needs to be a full public inquiry," John Finucane says.

"It's what we have always asked for and we look forward to getting into the work as soon as possible."

Responding to a BBC query on why the family has previously declined an inquiry, John Finucane says a previous government had "made it clear" they it intended to use a "a very restrictive mechanism under that legislation" which, in their analysis, would have rendered an earlier inquiry "meaningless".

He says the family are looking forward to working with the current UK government on this.

Mrs Finucane says her family has been campaigning for an inquiry because it's a forum that has the "ability to get to the truth".

"People can be cross-examined, questions can be verified, facts can be established and an inquiry is the only place for that," she says.

Mrs Finucane also says in previous reviews, "witnesses weren’t even called in some instances. If anyone was, they weren’t cross-examined".

She adds: "People were excused, and the family had no input into that, so we had no idea what was going on”.

A member of the press has asked Geraldine what has kept her going throughout the process.

Geraldine says: "I have a great family, great legal support, people from all around the world have sent me messages.

"We have had representation from America, bipartisan support, that's what has kept us going, and people who have came up to me to say 'keep going, we need to know the truth'."

Image source, PA Media

Geraldine Finucane says she believes this inquiry could be "a watershed moment in the difficult subject of legacy".

"If a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane can finally publicly examine all of the collusion that plagued our society for so many years, then there is hope that the real process of healing can begin," she says.

She adds it is "high time" the murder is "publicly examined and finally resolved".

"It is time for truth."

Image source, PA Media

Mr Finucane’s wife Geraldine, who was also wounded in the attack, says it has been a “long journey”.

She said the family want to "expose the whole truth behind the murder of my husband".

“Uncovering the truth” kept the family going, she adds.

“It is the thing that has been missing all these years".

Talking about previous governments' offers to look into the killing, Geraldine says the family "did not believe his murder was simply the act of gunmen".

She says the family had no confidence that police investigations would ever bring those truly responsible to justice, and they were not satisfied with private, limited reviews from which they were excluded.

Speaking emotionally, Geraldine thanks those who have helped the family in their campaign.

"We would not be here today without them," she says.

We're about to hear from the Finucane family.

You can watch the press conference under the Watch & Listen tab at the top of this page.

Image source, PA Media

Posting on X, the Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Micháel Martin said: "I welcome the decision to establish an independent public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane.

"This case matters, first and foremost, to the Finucane family.

"It also matters to those, on all sides, working for justice in Northern Ireland."