Challenge to Abbeylara inquiry begins today

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

A total of 36 gardai, including nine members of the Emergency Response Unit, won the right for the judicial review.

They are disputing the Oireachteas Committee's power to compel witnesses to attend and its right to documentation for consideration.

This case is very important, not only for those with any connection to the shooting, but also for the Dail itself.

Politicians are very worried that this court case could hit the power of parliamentarians to carry out such investigations.

The lawyer for the gardai, John Rogers, is arguing that the Oireachteas has no inherent power to carry out inquiries which are liable to result in findings of fact or to express opinions adverse to the reputations of person who are not members of the Oireachteas.

The gardai reject suggestions they are trying to evade answering questions, rather they say the proper forum for such questions is a properly instituted statutory public inquiry.