A woman who gave an interview to RTÉ about John Carthy during the Abbeylara siege said she thought it would help the situation.
The Barr Tribunal heard today that Mary McDowell pleaded with Mr Carthy during the radio interview to come out of the house.
She said she agreed to a request to speak to Mr Carthy, saying he was a gentle fellow and that she would do anything to help him.
Ms McDowell said she knew Mr Carthy, and in the interview referred to the fact that he had split up with his girlfriend because he would not give up drinking and smoking.
She said today that she was not aware that he had been suffering from a mental illness.
She also said she did not know what station was broadcasting her interview or when it was going out. Ms McDowell added that no-one in the area had ever passed any remarks to her about her doing the interview.
Earlier, a sergeant from the Garda Press Office who dealt with the Abberylara siege said it is customary not to name individuals in such circumstances.
Sgt Ronan Farrelly said he would be aware that such a person would probably be taken into custody later and could not be named then. He said it would not make sense naming someone first, and later trying to stop the media using the information.
Sgt Farrelly said there were up to five calls about the Abbeylara siege initially. He said none of the journalists asked for the name because they knew it would not be given out.
