Psychiatrist's late arrival queried

The delay in getting John Carthy's psychiatrist to Abbeylara was questioned by Mr Alan Shatter (FG). The psychiatrist, Dr David Shanley, arrived in Abbeylara at about 4.30 p.m. on April 20th - almost a day after the siege began.

The Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, pointed out that Mr Carthy's GP, Dr Cullen, had been at the scene from the start. "And it appears John Carthy would not engage with him." On being told on the evening of April 19th that his doctor was at the house, John Carthy fired his shotgun, hitting an unmarked patrol car.

Dr Shanley was contacted the following morning. "But it appears he had a clinic until lunchtime and couldn't get to the scene until the time he did."

Mr Shatter asked if gardai had conveyed the urgency of the situation to Dr Shanley. "My information is that Dr Shanley was told of the circumstances on the morning of the 20th . . . contacted at 9 and spoken to at 9.30."

Mr Shatter suggested the Garda decision to use the withholding of cigarettes from John Carthy as a tactic was mistaken, given that Mr Carthy was a chain-smoker. Mr Byrne disagreed. "As a police officer, a professional police officer, I rely on the judgment of my people on the ground, that is the on-scene commander and, in particular, the expert negotiator who was at the scene and made that decision."

Asked by Senator Denis O'Donovan if having 39 gardai on the scene was disproportionate to the danger posed, he said these decisions were left to the gardai on the ground. "It's their judgment call as to what's right and not right," Mr Byrne said.