Four gardaí involved in the siege in Abbeylara gave evidence at the Barr Tribunal this afternoon, in the absence of their legal team.
It comes amid firm indications that the Emergency Response Unit's legal team will return and co-operate on Tuesday when the tribunal resumes.
The chairman, Mr Justice Robert Barr made a ruling this morning to try to resolve the dispute between him and lawyers representing gardaí at the inquiry into the shooting of John Carthy four years ago.
A question from the tribunal chairman on the possibility of a fifth and previously unmentioned shot being fired led to a bitter exchange between Mr Justice Barr and John Rogers SC and the subsequent withdrawal of legal representatives of the ERU.
The chairman said a change in the professional evidence from two pathologists has shown there was no evidence to suggest a fifth shot had been fired.
After the chairman's comments, Mr Tom Murphy, solicitor for the ERU and over 20 other gardaí involved in the Abbeylara operation, thanked the chairman for his ruling and for resolving the issue.
The only remaining issue of contention between the gardaí and the chairman is a matter of procedure and the right of Mr Justice Barr to examine witnesses on an ongoing basis during their evidence.
