Cigarettes denial under spotlight at Barr Tribunal

The Chairman of the Barr Tribunal says the Gardai could have given John Carthy the cigarettes he requested if they wanted to, during the siege at Abbeylara that saw Carthy lose his life.

Justice Robert Barr strongly questioned the Scene Commander at Abbeylara on why the request was not complied with, and said Gardai had used the cigarettes as a bargaining tool.

In the early hours of the second day of the siege, Carthy - who was a heavy smoker - asked negotiators for cigarettes.

Justice Barr said these could have been given to him to build up a rapport with him.

At the time, a gesture of goodwill with no strings attached might have been helpful, Justice Barr commented.

Superintendent Shelley, who was in charge of the scene, said Gardai had wanted to give him the cigarettes, but it was a question of safety, and it wasn't possible to deliver them.

But Justice Barr swiftly replied: "You know very well they could have been delivered. The man had to rest at some stage."

He added a member of the Emergency response Unit had gone up to the window of the house and looked inside.

Supt Shelley said in response that the cigarettes weren't available at the time.

But Justice Barr retorted that they could have been available if Gardai had wanted them to be, day or night.

Mr Barr said: "Of course they could. The cigarettes were being used as a bargaining counter."