The new chief inspector of the Garda Inspectorate, Kathleen O'Toole, will be asked to immediately review Garda procedures for dealing with situations such as the siege at Abbeylara during which John Carthy was shot dead by armed officers, the Minister for Justice has said.
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell
Michael McDowell said it is important to learn "whatever lessons we can" from the tragic death of John Carthy (27), who was shot dead by armed gardai at Abbeylara, Co Longford in 2000.
In a statement welcoming today's publication of the Barr tribunal report into the siege, Mr McDowell noted that garda failures had been identified. But he said the report also acknowledged that gardaí were faced with a "grave and unique" situation at Abbeylara and that they did their best to resolve it without loss of life or injury.
"Obviously this report will require detailed study and it is important that we learn whatever lessons we can from the tragic death of John Carthy.
"But it is important too that we recognise, as the report does, the difficulties faced by members of the Garda Síochána in having to make split-second decisions which can have such serious consequences."
"We must do nothing which interferes with the right and duty of members of the Garda Síochána to take whatever steps are necessary to protect their own lives, the lives of their colleagues and the lives of members of the community."
Mr McDowell said that, thankfully, circumstances of the kind that arose in this case were "exceptionally rare".
He said he would forward the report to the recently appointed chief inspector of the new Garda Inspectorate, Kathleen O'Toole.
He will ask her to immediately review Garda procedures and practices for dealing with incidents such as those that arose in Abbeylara.
All fatal shootings involving the gardaí will also automatically be referred to the new Garda Ombudsman Commission.
Mr McDowell said the Garda Commissioner had also assured him he would examine the Barr report "carefully and comprehensively" with a view to addressing the issues arising from it.