Gardaí lack mental health experts 3 years after report

THE gardaí still do not have formal mental health expertise available to them to deal with barricade incidents, three and a half years after the Garda Inspectorate urgently called for it.

The inspectorate published a report on barricade incidents in February 2007, on the back of the Barr Tribunal report into the shooting dead by gardaí of armed manic depressive John Carthy in April 2000 in Abbeylara, Co Longford.

Yesterday, the inspectorate said only three of its 84 recommendations remain outstanding. “These relate to the need for formal arrangements for a team of mental health professionals to support the Garda Síochána at barricade incidents.