Barr Tribunal
Encyclopedia
The Barr Tribunal was a Public Inquiry
in the Republic of Ireland
established by Resolutions passed by the Dáil Éireann
and the Seanad Éireann
on the 17 and 18 April 2002, and by Instrument entitled Tribunals of Inquiry Evidence Acts 1921 (Establishment of Tribunal) Instrument (No. 2) 2002 made by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on 1 July 2002. The sole member of the Tribunal was Mr Justice Robert Barr. The Tribunal was charged with investigating 'the facts and circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting of John Carthy
(by members of An Garda Síochána) at Abbeylara
, County Longford
on 20 April 2000.
The Tribunal reported its findings on 20 July 2006 in a 740 page report following four years of investigations at a cost of €18 million.
It concluded that there were many mistakes made by the Gardaí on the scene, but that it was not an unlawful killing.
It recommended many changes to training and procedures for sieges and negotiations to prevent similar occurrences.
Public inquiry
A Tribunal of Inquiry is an official review of events or actions ordered by a government body in Common Law countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland or Canada. Such a public inquiry differs from a Royal Commission in that a public inquiry accepts evidence and conducts its hearings in a more...
in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
established by Resolutions passed by the Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
and the Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
on the 17 and 18 April 2002, and by Instrument entitled Tribunals of Inquiry Evidence Acts 1921 (Establishment of Tribunal) Instrument (No. 2) 2002 made by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on 1 July 2002. The sole member of the Tribunal was Mr Justice Robert Barr. The Tribunal was charged with investigating 'the facts and circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting of John Carthy
John Carthy
John Carthy was a 27-year-old Irish citizen with known psychiatric illnesses. On Thursday 20 April 2000 he was shot dead in controversial circumstances by the Emergency Response Unit of An Garda Síochána at his home in Toneymore, Abbeylara, County Longford, Ireland after a twenty-five hour...
(by members of An Garda Síochána) at Abbeylara
Abbeylara
Abbeylara is a village in the easternmost portion of County Longford, Ireland, located about three kilometers east of Granard on the R369 regional road. Its name is derived from a monastery, the great Abbey of Lerha, founded in 1205 by Hiberno-Norman magnate, Risteárd de Tiúit, for Cistercian monks...
, County Longford
County Longford
County Longford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford.Longford County Council is the local authority for the county...
on 20 April 2000.
The Tribunal reported its findings on 20 July 2006 in a 740 page report following four years of investigations at a cost of €18 million.
It concluded that there were many mistakes made by the Gardaí on the scene, but that it was not an unlawful killing.
It recommended many changes to training and procedures for sieges and negotiations to prevent similar occurrences.
See also
- List of notable Public Inquiries in Ireland
- TribunalTribunalA tribunal in the general sense is any person or institution with the authority to judge, adjudicate on, or determine claims or disputes—whether or not it is called a tribunal in its title....
- Public InquiryPublic inquiryA Tribunal of Inquiry is an official review of events or actions ordered by a government body in Common Law countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland or Canada. Such a public inquiry differs from a Royal Commission in that a public inquiry accepts evidence and conducts its hearings in a more...
- The Mahon TribunalThe Mahon TribunalThe Tribunal of Inquiry Into Certain Planning Matters and Payments, commonly known as the Mahon Tribunal, is a public inquiry in Ireland established by Dáil Éireann in 1997 to investigate allegations of corrupt payments to politicians regarding political decisions...
- McCracken Tribunal
- Kerry Babies TribunalKerry Babies TribunalThe Kerry Babies case is an unsolved murder case dating from 1984 in Kerry, Ireland, that dominated the Irish headlines for some months during that year and resulted in a public Tribunal of Inquiry into the behaviour of the Garda Síochána during the investigation.On 14 April 1984, a newborn baby...