Christine Smith QC

The “historic appointment” makes Ms Smith the first woman to chair a public inquiry in Northern Ireland, The Bar of Northern Ireland has said.

The public inquiry was announced last November after serious concerns were raised about the clinical practice of a urology consultant who retired earlier that year.

Health Minister Robin Swann said: “In my statement to the Assembly on 24 November 2020, I said we are only at the start of what is likely to become a long and detailed investigation of the matter and I therefore intended to establish a statutory public inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005.

I believe that that is the best way to ensure that the full extent of the concerns is identified and for the patients and families affected to see that all relevant issues are pursued in a transparent and independent way.

“I have therefore appointed Christine Smith QC as chair of the inquiry with the aim of getting the inquiry fully underway by summer 2021. The next step will be to finalise the terms of reference for the inquiry, following engagement with the Assembly’s Health Committee and the patients affected by the lookback, and to finalise the members of the Inquiry Panel.”

Mr Swann added: “Ms Smith is a very experienced Queen’s Counsel with a background in public inquiry work. She is senior counsel to the Independent Neurology Patients Recall Inquiry and was senior counsel for the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry.

She also appeared for the Department of Finance in the RHI Inquiry. I believe that her professional expertise and recent involvement with inquiries equips her to chair the Urology Inquiry.”

Ms Smith was called to The Bar of Northern Ireland in 1985 and to The Bar of Ireland in 1996. She became a QC in 2011.