The family of the 27-year-old Longford man who was fatally injured after a siege at his home in Abbeylara last week has called for a searching independent inquiry to be carried out. John Carthy's sister Marie told a news conference in Longford this afternoon that she did not wish to blame anyone for what has happened to her brother but would like the results of an independent inquiry to be made public so that a tragedy like this would never happen again.
Ms Carthy said her brother John had experienced depression but had come to terms with it and learned how to deal with it. She described her brother as "intelligent, popular, hardworking, witty, gentle and a man who never let anyone down." The Carthy family have appealed to be allowed to grieve their loss. No questions were taken by either Marie Carthy or her solicitor at the news conference.
Meanwhile, the Gardai have committed to establish all the facts surrounding the incident in Abbeylara last week. In a statement, issued in response to the public concern and media reports surrounding the incident, the Gardai said that there exists a legislative duty under the Coroners Act of 1962 to hold an inquest into the death of the late John Carthy. This inquest will hear all the issues involved in relation to the entire incident. The statement also said that the Garda inquiry will also look at the circumstances of the issue of a fire arms licence to the late Mr Carthy and whether non-lethal weaponry should be available to the security forces in the State.
