Kenny To Lobby Over Refused Finucane Inquiry

The Taoiseach is in the North again today after he used a visit to Belfast on Thursday for several engagements and to make a controversial announcement.

Enda Kenny attended the Aisling Awards ceremony and dinner at the Europa Hotel as the guest of honour where he delivered the keynote address and presented the Person of the Year Award to Geraldine Finucane - widow of the murdered solicitor, Pat.

Enda Kenny then pledged to lobby US politicians to push the British PM David Cameron to change his mind on the issue of a full inquiry into the killing after he refused one and instead ordered a review of the case papers by a leading QC.

However, the DUP Junior Minister and Strangford MLA Jonathan Bell has today reminded Edna Kenny that there are thousands of families across Northern Ireland who lost loved ones during the Troubles but have never been offered a probe.

He said that the Finucane family was offered a probe under the terms of the Enquiries Act, which they spurned, and latterly the Prime Minister announced a review of the files surrounding the Finucane case.

"Whilst Mr Kenny has every right to support the Finucane family in their quest, he should be mindful that there are thousands of other families who had loved ones murdered, who have never had any."

He added, angrily that Mr Kenny should also recognise that his own government is not in a position to lecture the people of the United Kingdom on how to deal with the past and claimed: "In the early days of the Troubles, the Republic of Ireland became a safe haven for republican terrorists."

Visit To Belfast

On Thursday, Mr Kenny undertook a courtesy call on the Stormont First and Deputy First Ministers - and then a visit to community projects on the loyalist Newtownards Road and the nationalist Short Strand to see some of the work being done on the ground.

He also visited Belfast City Hall and met the Sinn Fein Lord Mayor.

Now, today, NI's top political team are to again confront the leader of the Irish Republic over recent news that a multi-million pound cross border road project would have to be 'shelved' after the Dáil government performed a U-turn on funding.

First Minister Peter Robinson and the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness are to use the pre-arranged international meeting to discuss the A5 'roadblock' with the Taoiseach.

The 54-mile long carriageway would have slashed travel times from Northern Ireland to the Irish Republic.

Joint financial support to dual the road at a cost of £850m was established as part of the St Andrew's Agreement in 2006 and construction was expected to start in 2012.

The Stormont Executive has already expressed its disappointment at the decision by the Irish Government to withdraw funding from the A5 road scheme for the next budget period.

The DUP Leader Peter Robinson and Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness were united on the issue after the news last week.

The pair are again meeting the Taoiseach Enda Kenny after he travelled to Belfast on Thursday for a series of events and is now due in Armagh today.

They also had discussions with him on the issue at a Dublin meeting a week ago and now, the North South Ministerial Council will meet, hosted by the First Minister and Deputy First Ministers with the Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny attending the plenary session.

Funding for the A5 road between Londonderry and Aughnacloy will be one of the key topics of discussion after the Irish reduced its funding for the project from £400m to £42m.

Mr Kenny said on Thursday night that he knew his government's "deferral of our funding contribution" to the project had "come as a big disappointment to many in Northern Ireland".

"But I want to stress - it is deferral, not abandonment," he added.

"My government remains fully committed to delivery of this important project, even if it must now be on a slower timeline."

(BMcC)