THERE was widespread condemnation yesterday of newspaper reporting linking the death of a female garda during childbirth to the part her husband played in the shooting of John Carthy in the Abbeylara siege.

THE number of gardaí trained to use guns will increase and all members will wear bullet-proof vests and carry pepper spray on the beat as part of the force’s response to the Abbeylara siege.

Senior garda officers in charge of two major siege situations last year were not fully trained in dealing with the crises, the Garda Inspectorate revealed today.

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell denies he had any hand, act or part in the arrest of journalist Mick McCaffrey.

Gardaí are facing a bill of up to €1.5m to defend themselves in tribunals and court cases, it emerged today.

Legal representatives of the gardaí involved in the Abbeylara siege are expected to return to the Barr Tribunal next week, after a ruling made yesterday by the chairman of the inquiry.

Since its foundation over 80 years ago the Garda Síochána has enjoyed a very good reputation with the confidence of the overwhelming majority of citizens.

Marie Carthy has told the Barr Tribunal today that the Abbeylara siege would never have got out of control if the gardaí were trained to deal with depression.

Marie Carthy told the Barr Tribunal today that she was not allowed to go to her brother John on the night he was shot at the Abbeylara siege, although she believed he had wanted to see her.

THE chairman of the Barr Tribunal was accused yesterday of drawing conclusions on aspects of the Abbeylara siege before hearing all the relevant evidence.

LESS than two weeks after Longford man John Carthy was shot dead following the Abbeylara siege, work began to demolish the house he shared with his mother, the Barr Tribunal heard yesterday.

THE story of Frank Shortt and his family represents more than a miscarriage of justice.

The Garda Siochana pats itself on the back later today with the conferring of degrees on senior officers.

The Garda Representative Association is welcoming the prospect of a public inquiry into the Abbeylara siege.

The judicial review into the Abbeylara shooting inquiry has been told that TDs and Senators are not qualified to ask questions in such a forum because they are biased.

The High Court challenge by 36 Gardai into the Oireachtas Sub-Committee investigation on the Abbeylara incident is now likely to begin some time in July.

The High Court challenge to the Dail inquiry into the fatal shooting of John Carthy in Abbeylara last year opens this morning.

Lawyers for the 36 gardai involved in the Abbeylara siege have been granted the right to mount a High Court challenge to a Dail inquiry into the incident.

The Dail inquiry into the Abbeylara incident has been adjourned for 30 days, following an application by nine members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit not to give evidence.

Amnesty International has said that the inquiry into the Abbeylara incident highlights the need for an independent Garda complaints board.

The Minister for Justice has intervened in the row between the Oireachtas Committee of inquiry into the Abbeylara shooting and lawyers for the Gardai.

Members of a Dail sub-committee will today visit the scene of the shooting of 27-year-old John Carthy, just over a year ago.

A Dail sub-committee will today begin an inquiry into the killing of John Carthy in Abbeylara, County Longford last April.

Two Garda representative bodies are calling for an inquiry into the Abbeylara shooting, which happened one year ago.

The Dail has agreed to grant powers of compellability to the Oireachtas sub-committee which will soon begin hearings into the Abbeylara siege.

A seven-member Oireachtas sub-committee has been set up to deal with the garda report on the Abbeylara siege.