Garda unions call for better training
Garda unions expressed regret at the death of John Carthy and called for improvements in training recommended by the Barr Tribunal report to be acted on immediately.
Representatives said the shooting dead of Mr Carthy following a 25-hour armed siege in Abbeylara, Co Longford in April 2000 was a tragic incident and admitted morale in the force was currently low.
PJ Stone, General Secretary of the Garda Representative Association, said his organisation would be taking up the report’s recommendation of improved training with garda management.
“We would just like to make this point, the death of John Carthy was a tragic incident but equally our members had to make a split second decision on the day and you must remember that Mr Barr has had two years to look at this, our members had to make a decision on the day,” he said.
“If there’s lessons to be learned now then obviously lessons will be learned but you must remember and take into account that members of the Garda Siochana, like any other profession, went to work and had to make a decision to end somebody’s life, that’s not an easy thing to do.”
Mr Stone said his members should be given time to read and consider the report and he insisted they had raised issues such as the issuing of non-lethal weapons, as recommended by Mr Justice Robert Barr, in the past.
“For instance, we have asked that perhaps pepper sprays would be made available to members of An Garda Siochana going on duty,” he said.
“It’s not the staff associations’ problem that these issues have not been addressed and others now, on the basis of this report, will have to look at what’s required so the Garda Siochana can carry out their duties responsibly and professionally.”
Mr Stone said he regretted that Judge Barr’s report had found John Carthy was assaulted by two gardai two years before the siege took place.
Joe Dirwan, President of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, said he would look forward to working with garda management on improved training.
“Hopefully if there are lessons to be learned, they will be learned so that there isn’t a repeat of this in the future,” he told RTE Radio.
“Any death is regrettable. No member of the Garda Siochana goes out to work purposely to kill or injure any member of the public and unfortunately split second decisions have to be made, decisions to take a life, they’re not easy, they had to be made on this occasion and unfortunately a death accrued from it.”
He added: “I think at the moment, I suppose, morale is low and there’s no point denying that fact and if the report itself brings forward new issues in relation to training and professionalism, we would welcome that.”
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