The penultimate phase of the Bloody Sunday inquiry starts in Derry this morning and is expected to last until June 18th. During this period oral submissions will be made on behalf of the various interested parties.
These include legal representatives of the next-of-kin of the 13 unarmed civilians killed by paratroopers on Bloody Sunday on January 30th, 1972, lawyers for the 14 civilians wounded as well as lawyers for the paratroopers and for police officers.
Since the inquiry was adjourned last February, having heard evidence about the shootings, which occurred in the Bogside area of Derry, from 919 witnesses over a period of 427 days, the legal teams have lodged their final submissions to the inquiry, which is chaired by Lord Saville of Newdigate.
Over the next two weeks, those submissions, made on behalf of 17 separate interested parties, will be debated before the inquiry sitting in Derry's Guildhall.
It has also been confirmed that two additional civilians will give evidence. Mr Brendan Duddy, one of Derry's best known businesspeople, will take the witness stand later this week. Next week the inquiry will hear from Mr Daniel McGilloway, the former father-in-law of witness Mr Paddy Ward whose evidence, which was critical of the Provisional IRA, has already been heard.
The inquiry adjourns later this month and resumes in October when counsel to the inquiry will give a closing statement.
The final report, by Lord Saville and his colleagues Judge Toohey from Australia and Judge Hoyt from Canada, is expected to be completed by April next.
The cost of the inquiry is expected to run to £155 million.