Barr tribunal: The officer in command at the scene of the siege in Abbeylara denied that he had been given the name of John Carthy's solicitor less than six hours after the armed standoff with gardaí began.
The Barr tribunal was yesterday shown a statement that Mr Carthy's cousin had given to the abandoned Oireachtas inquiry into the shooting, claiming he had supplied the solicitor's name.
In his statement, Mr Tom Walsh said that on the night the siege began Supt Shelly had asked for the name of Mr Carthy's solicitor. Mr Walsh said he checked the name of the Carthy family solicitor with Ms Marie Carthy and passed this on to Supt Shelly.
Supt Shelly denied that this conversation took place.
The tribunal heard that Mr Walsh had arrived at the scene in Abbeylara at around 9 p.m. and met Supt Shelly.
"He said he had spoken to Mr Carthy on his mobile. Mr Carthy had words with him over the time he [Mr Carthy] spent in hospital. He made a remark about Mr Walsh not coming to visit him," Supt Shelly said.
At the scene, Mr Walsh spoke to Mr Carthy through a Garda megaphone, but did not get a response.
Mr Carthy made no verbal response to anyone until 11.40 p.m., when he requested a solicitor.
Mr Carthy had not mentioned a particular solicitor so Supt Shelly asked the ERU negotiator to pursue the matter further.
Mr Carthy did not give the name of his solicitor, but Supt Shelly said at no time did he discuss the identity of the solicitor with Mr Walsh.
"The issue of the solicitor and his identity did not arise that night".
However, Supt Shelly said he had been told that earlier in the night one of his colleagues, Insp Martin Maguire, had discussed the issue with Mr Walsh, but Mr Walsh had said he did not know the name.
Supt Shelly also told the tribunal that the following morning he sanctioned bringing the media within one house of where Mr Carthy was with his loaded gun.
Supt Shelly said he allowed reporters and cameramen to get close enough to film the Carthy house, even though they knew Mr Carthy could hear what was happening on a radio inside.
The Garda press officer, Supt John Farrelly, had approached Supt Shelly shortly after 11 a.m. on Thursday morning, the day John Carthy was killed, and asked to be allowed bring members of the media to the scene.
Supt Shelly said he agreed to the request because he had heard a rumour that journalists were going to hire a helicopter to fly over the area.
"I thought it was appropriate to facilitate the media in safety. I had no objections to the request."
He told the tribunal how some eight or 10 journalists were brought just behind the Garda command post, situated in the road beside the Carthy house.
When asked if he was aware that Mr Carthy had access to the media reports from inside the house, he replied that he knew Mr Carthy had a radio, but the TV cable had been cut.
