A British firearms expert has told the Barr Tribunal that the position of the negotiation point at the Abbeylara siege was inappropriate for a number of reasons.
The Barr Tribunal is investigating the shooting dead of John Carthy at Abbeylara, Co Longford in 2000.
Alan Bailey said that placing the negotiation post at a point directly in front of the Carthy house provided John Carthy with the opportunity to control communications.
Mr Bailey pointed out that by simply aiming his shotgun at the post, Mr Carthy would bring an end to whatever line of dialogue that the negotiator was trying to establish at the time.
He added there was an argument for saying that the position of the post contributed to Mr Carthy's persistence in firing his gun throughout the 24-hour siege.
In a further criticism of the location and the use of the negotiation post at the Abbeylara siege, Mr Bailey said normal citizens should never have been brought to that point to speak with Mr Carthy.
Throughout the incident, a number of relatives and friends of Mr Carthy were brought to the post just in front of the Carthy house to attempt to make contact with the 27-year-old.
Mr Bailey said this was an action that was in conflict with the basic garda function to protect members of the public, and should never have been authorised by the scene commander.
