Supreme Court to rule on politicians' right of inquiry

The Supreme Court will rule today if politicans are entitled to inquire into the nature of the Garda operation at Abbeylara Co Longford, which resulted in the fatal shooting of Mr John Carthy.

The High Court's declaration that the Oireachtas has no inherent power to conduct inquiries has paralysed parliamenary committees, particularly the Committee of Public Accounts and represents a "full bloooded assault" on the Oireachtas's entitlement to conduct inquiries, the Attorney General, Mr Michael McDowell said.

The legal proceedings arose after John Carthy was shot four times by members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit after a siege at his home in April 2000.