A new agency appointed by the Government to advise on the development of the Garda has expressed serious concern for the safety of gardaí tackling siege situations and a growing gun culture.
It has put forward a significant number of recommendations aimed at addressing what it believes are shortcomings with equipment and training within the force.
The first full report of the Garda Inspectorate, published yesterday, follows a major study it carried out of the Barr tribunal's findings on the shooting dead by gardaí of John Carthy during a siege in Abbeylara, Co Longford, in 2000.
The inspectorate's report was broadly welcomed last night.
Mr Carthy's family said there was "still a long way to go" in addressing the issues that culminated in his death. However, it described the report as the "first visible initiative".
Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell described the report as a "comprehensive independent, expert review of Garda management of barricade [ siege] incidents".
"I believe that the implementation of the recommendations will very significantly enhance the capacity of the force to respond to such incidents."
Labour's spokesman on justice Brendan Howlin said the recommendations represented "a significant package of measures to improve how the gardaí handle crisis situations".
However, Fine Gael's justice spokesman Jim O'Keeffe said the report highlighted serious shortcomings in the level of training and type of equipment available to gardaí.
Some of the inspectorate's findings, while praising progress made by the Garda since 2000, may prove embarrassing for Mr McDowell.
Many of its conclusions and observations appear to support complaints from the Garda representative bodies that the safety of their members is being compromised daily because of resourcing shortfalls in vital areas.
The inspectorate underlines the urgent need for basic equipment such as a new radio system, ballistics vests and firing ranges. It also highlights a lack of training opportunities for the Emergency Response Unit as it no longer has a tactical training centre.
The inspectorate has proposed rank and file gardaí should be better trained to handle dangerous situations involving firearms, pointing out that these unarmed members are often first to arrive at a scene.
"The inspectorate is particularly concerned about the safety of initial responders to calls involving persons with weapons, particularly firearms."
It has recommended these members all be supplied with bullet-proof and stab-vests as well as pepper spray. They should also be trained in the use of firearms and less-than-lethal weapons.
It also wants a panel formed of senior gardaí around the country who have advance scene-commander training in a bid to avoid a repeat of some of the command errors made at Abbeylara.
Similar panels of mental health experts and trained negotiators, who could assist at sieges, have also been recommended.
The inspectorate, led by chief inspector and former Boston police chief Kathleen O'Toole, has also called for the establishment of a second-tier armed response unit.
These would be armed with lethal and less-than-lethal weapons and could contain a situation pending the arrival of the ERU.
It also noted training difficulties associated with the closure of the Garda's only two indoor firing ranges were being exacerbated by the closure of some Army ranges.
Mr McDowell said some 2,500 protective vests had already been distributed to gardaí and progress was being made on the new digital radio system and firing range.