BARR TRIBUNAL: A course in mental health awareness, compulsory for all new Garda recruits, was not available to gardaí at the time of the Abbeylara siege, the tribunal has heard.
The director of training at Templemore Garda College, Chief Supt Kevin Ludlow, told the tribunal that all student gardaí received mental health awareness training specifically to deal with policing situations involving sufferers of mental illness.
However, he said this course was only in existence since 2002, two years after Mr John Carthy, who suffered from bipolar depression, was shot dead outside his house in Abbeylara, Co Longford, by gardaí.
The current mental health training course included modules on dealing with the mentally ill in routine police work, responses to emergency calls and the return of escapees.
Students were taught about all the major mental illnesses, and how to identify signs of "emotional disturbance" including excited speech, unreasonable hostility, threatening harm and irrational fears. They also go on placement with one of a number of social agencies to gain practical experience.
When asked if anything "of an equivalent nature" had been available before 2002, Chief Supt Ludlow said there had not.
"This course replaced lectures on aggression, and expanded the advice for dealing with people with mental problems in the legal lectures on the Mental Treatment Act."
When asked by the solicitor for the Carthy family, Mr Peter Mullan, if the introduction of the course had anything to do with the events at Abbeylara, Chief Supt Ludlow said it had not.
"It stemmed out of discussions with Schizophrenia Ireland in relation to input they might have into training."
The Garda subsequently decided to widen the course to incorporate the Department of Health and a number of non-governmental organisations.
