Report into Carthy killing to be published tomorrow

The long-awaited report of the Barr tribunal into the fatal shooting of John Carthy by gardaí­ in Abbeylara, Co Longford, more than six years ago will be published tomorrow.

Mr Carthy (27), a building worker who suffered from manic depression, was shot dead outside his home by two members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit on April 20th, 2000.

His death followed a 25-hour armed stand-off which began when he sent his mother from the house and fired his shotgun several times into the air. Armed and unarmed gardaí­ subsequently surrounded the house.

Mr Carthy, who was alone in the house, discharged a number of shots from the kitchen window during the stand-off, before leaving the house carrying the gun at around 5.45pm.

He began to walk in the direction of Abbeylara village and was shot from behind by gardaí­ when he did not comply with orders to put down his gun.

The tribunal, chaired by retired High Court judge Mr Justice Robert Barr, began in early 2003 to examine the circumstances surrounding Mr Carthy's death, and in particular the Garda actions during the stand-off.

It completed its hearings in December 2004 after taking evidence from 169 witnesses.

Mr Justice Barr had originally intended to deliver his report to the Oireachtas by June 2005.

He has not commented on the reason its publication has been delayed for more than a year.

Opposition TDs, including Labour leader Pat Rabbitte, have criticised the Government over the delay in publishing the report.

Mr Rabbitte last month accused the Government of deliberately stalling the publication of the report until after the Dáil summer recess.

Tánaiste Mary Harney said the Oireachtas would debate the report as soon as possible.

The tribunal heard evidence from gardaí up to assistant commissioner level, family and friends of Mr Carthy, former employers, doctors, including his psychiatrist, journalists and several expert witnesses who dealt with policing and medical matters.

The chairman examined the actions taken and decisions made by gardaí­ from their initial response to Mr Carthy to his fatal shooting.

These included decisions not to bring a solicitor to the scene, the absence of a mental health professional during the stand-off and the withholding of cigarettes from Mr Carthy.

This was the fifth inquiry into Mr Carthy's death following the inquest, an internal Garda report into the incident, an FBI report and an Oireachtas inquiry that was aborted after a Supreme Court ruling.