Ahern says report into Carthy shooting complete

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has told the Dáil that the Barr report into the fatal shooting of John Carthy after an armed siege in …

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has told the Dáil that the Barr report into the fatal shooting of John Carthy after an armed siege in 2000 will be sent to the Dáil within three weeks.

Mr Justice Robert Barr has completed his findings and the document is ready for printing, Mr Ahern said.

Replying to questions by Labour leader Pat Rabbitte, Bertie Ahern said: "Mr Justice Barr's report is now completed and is ready for printing. He expects to be in a position to refer the report to the Oireachtas in early to mid July.

"I will ask if that can be early July. I have no difficulty with the report coming before the House."

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The Barr Tribunal was established in 2003 to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting of Mr Carthy outside his home in Abbeylara, Co Longford, in April 2000.

The 27-year-old, who suffered from depression, was shot four times from behind, by two members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit as he walked in the direction of Abbeylara village carrying a shotgun loaded with a single cartridge.

His death followed a 25-hour armed stand-off with gardaí during which Mr Carthy fired several shots from the window of his house. Mr Justice Barr heard evidence from 169 witnesses during 208 separate sittings, which concluded in December 2004.

Mr Rabbitte, who has raised the issue in the Dáil several times, earlier asked: "What kind of a modern democracy are we that in the year 2006, we still haven't the report?

"I don't want to second guess the Tribunal, I don't want to apportion blame, but I really feel that it was a needless killing, that that man in those circumstances lost his life." The TD said delaying the report was not showing respect to the Carthy family or the Oireachtas.

"This is something that the Irish people are concerned about and we ought to do them the justice of seeing it fairly discussed and examined," he added. Mr Rabbitte said the Dáil will accept the report in whatever format, as long as it was delivered before the summer recess on July 6.

The issue was raised last week with Tánaiste Mary Harney by Labour's deputy leader Liz McManus.