Members of an Oireachtas sub-committee investigating the fatal shooting of John Carthy by Gardaí last year have today visited the scene of the shooting at Abbeylara in County Longford. Yesterday, the committee decided to carry on with its inquiry after rejecting legal submissions on behalf of the Gardaí involved. Counsel for the officers claimed it would be dangerous and unfair for a political committee to investigate the incident.
Counsel for the family of John Carthy told the hearing that they would prefer the issue to be dealt with by a judicial inquiry. Michael O'Higgins, Senior Counsel for the family, told the Oireachtas Committee that the family would seek to impugn the Garda report into the death of the 27-year-old man who suffered from psychiatric illness "at every turn". He said that the report's portrayal of John Carthy was unrecognisable to his family.
