THE date for publishing the findings of the British government's inquiry into OTR scheme has been pushed back to the end of June.
As Lady Justice hallett was yesterday appointed to conduct the review of the scheme which saw around 190 letters of assurance issued to republicans Secretary of State Theresa Villiers extended the date for making the report public by a month.
The inquiry was announced nearly a fortnight ago by British prime minister David Cameron in the midst of unionist outrage at what they claimed was a secret deal between the British government and Sinn Fein.
First Minister Peter Robinson had threatened to resign unless his demand for a probe was met.
The controversy was sparked when the trial of Co Donegal man John Downey collapsed last month.
The 62-year-old was being tried for the 1982 Hyde Park bomb in which four British soldiers died. However, Mr Downey walked free from court when it emerged he had been issued with a letter assuring him he was not wanted for questioning by the authorities in Britain.
Ms Villiers has said the scheme is now closed and that no more letters will be issued.
The inquiry will seek to determine whether any of the letters sent through the scheme contained errors.
It will also make recommendations on related matters drawn to the attention of the inquiry.
The prime minister had initially promised that it would publish its findings in 11 weeks time at the end of May.
In a written statement to the house of Commons yesterday in which Ms Villiers announced the inquiry would be led by Lady hallett, it emerged that the report may not be made public until the end of June.
"Lady Justice hallett is asked to make every effort to meet the timetable of conducting the inquiry and reporting to me by the end of May 2014 for the purpose of its full publication," the secretary of state said.
"In any event, the review will conclude by the end of June 2014."
Lady Hallett is the fifth woman to sit as a judge in the Court of Appeal.
She was called to the Bar in 1972 and became a QC in 1989. She was made a high Court Judge in 1999 and has served in the Court of Appeal since 2005.
Lady hallett was among five senior judges who, in February, ruled that whole life sentences "are entirely compatible" with the european Court of human Rights, helping to ensure that the UK's most notorious serial killers die in prison.
* APPOINTED: Lady Justice Hallett who has been appointed by Secretary of State Theresa Villiers, inset top, to conduct the independent review of the on-the-runs scheme. The review was ordered by British prime minister David Cameron, inset above, following the collapse of the case of Hyde Park IRA bomb suspect John Downey. Mr Downey, below, denied the charge MAIN PICTURE: PA