Garda Inspectorate will act on Barr report - McDowell
The Chief Inspector of the new Garda Inspectorate, Kathleen O’Toole, will immediately review Garda procedures and practices following the publication of the Barr report, the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell revealed today.
Mr McDowell said lessons must be learned from the death of John Carthy but he insisted nothing should interfere wih the right and duty of gardaí to protect their own lives and those of colleagues and the public.
He apologised on behalf of the State and expressed his sympathies to Mr Carthy’s family and confirmed the Dáil would hold a full debate on the report of the Barr Tribunal into his death following the summer recess.
“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,” Mr McDowell said.
“But it is important too that we recognise, as the report does, the difficulties faced by members of the Garda Siochana 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 Siochana 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 noted that while operational failures in the Garda response to the incident were identified, the report also acknowledged that officers were faced with a grave and unique situation in Abbeylara, and that they did their best to resolve it without loss of life or injury.
“As with any tragic loss, the relatives and friends of John Carthy are due our sympathy,” he said.
“But, equally, members of the Garda Siochana who played a role in the events at Abbeylara are entitled to our understanding.
“Individual members of the Garda Siochana can pay a heavy price in having to live with the consequences of difficult decisions which we call on them to make on our behalf.”
The Minister also stated that, thankfully, circumstances of the kind which arose in this case are exceptionally rare.
He said there have been developments in terms of legislation, training and better equipment in recent years which continue to strengthen the Garda Siochana in dealing with the myriad of complex situations they face in the course of protecting the community day in day out.
The Minister said that, in accordance with the provisions of the Garda Siochana Act 2005, he will now be forwarding a copy of the report to the recently-appointed Chief Inspector of the new Garda Inspectorate, Kathleen O’Toole.
He said he will be asking her in the light of the report’s findings to immediately review Garda procedures and practices for dealing with incidents of the nature that arose in Abbeylara.
The Minister also stated that, under the provisions of the Garda Siochana Act 2005, all fatal shooting incidents involving the Gardaí will automatically be referred to the new Garda Ombudsman Commission.
He said Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy has also assured him that the force will examine Mr Justice Barr’s Report carefully and comprehensively with a view to addressing the issues which arise.
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