Gardaí call for mental health expertise

MIDDLE-RANKING gardaí have slammed the continuing failure to provide formal mental health expertise to gardaí dealing with barricade incidents.

The call comes on the eve of the 11th anniversary of the shooting dead of John Carthy by gardaí at Abbeylara, Co Longford.

At their annual conference, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) asked Justice Minister Alan Shatter if it would take a repeat of this tragedy before the issue was addressed.