Garda representatives and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) yesterday supported the Minister for Justice's decision to call a public inquiry into the death of John Carthy. Mr Carthy was shot dead at Abbeylara in April 2000.
Mr George Maybury, general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, said the High Court and Supreme Court had confirmed the Garda position that a Dáil subcommittee was "an inappropriate forum".
"The main problem for us was lack of fair procedure and that is what brought about this challenge. They [the committee\] did not follow fair procedure. We wanted a fair deal for our members and we weren't getting that from the Dáil committee."
Mr P.J. Stone, the general secretary of the Garda Representative Association, which supported the successful court challenge on behalf of 36 gardaí involved in Abbeylara, also welcomed the setting up of a public inquiry.
He said: "We have never had any difficulty with a judicial inquiry dealing with our members in search of the truth and the facts. We were not confident that the Dáil committee was the best way of achieving this."
Mr Stone added: "We are aware of the massive implications of this historic decision. However, our motivation in pursuing this matter through the courts was entirely in the interests of our members."
Mr Liam Herrick of the Irish Council For Civil Liberties yesterday said a public inquiry and the introduction of a Garda Ombudsman was the only way to re-establish public confidence in the Garda after Abbeylara.
"There was no legal reason for the Minister to wait until today's decision to set up such a tribunal and it is now two years since John's death.
"Such a tribunal would vindicate the rights of all the parties involved, including the gardaí, and its constitutionality would be secure."
Mr Herrick concluded: "Public confidence in An Garda Síochána has been seriously damaged by this incident and as long as the Government continues to resist moves to establish a Garda Ombudsman, it will be impossible to restore public confidence in the gardaí."