Justice Barr says tribunal will go on without gardaí if necessary

The President of the Barr Tribunal, into the Abbeylara siege, says proceedings will continue at the inquiry tomorrow morning whether the gardaí like it or not.

Justice Barr says enough time has been wasted by lawyers for the gardaí while witnesses are waiting to give evidence.

He had said he regretted wrongly interpreting Senior Counsel for the gardaí, John Rogers, but says that the gardaí must now get on with the tribunal or it will go on without them.

Solicitor Tom Murphy, who is representing certain named gardaí since Mr Rogers walk out of the proceedings, requested until tomorrow to take further instruction from his clients.

Justice Barr has given the gardaí until then to appoint a new Senior Counsel and begin cross-examination of State Pathologist, Dr John Harbinson.

The alternative, the judge said, was for certain gardaí to be summoned to appear before the tribunal from time to time.