Elite gardaí to get more non-lethal weapons

Elite armed gardaí are to be supplied with more non-lethal weapons like stun guns, the Government decided today.

This was one of the recommendations of the last year’s Barr Tribunal Report which investigated the fatal shooting of manic depressive John Carthy following a siege in Abbeylara in 2000.

The Cabinet decided today, on the advice of Justice Minister Michael McDowell, that the Emergency Response Unit should be equipped with and trained in less lethal weapons like Taser guns or stun guns.

Chief Inspector Kathleen O’Toole is also in favour of supplying pepper spray cannisters to officers but this will be decided by the Garda Commissioner.

It also emerged today that the new Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission will begin to take over complaints cases from the old Garda Complaints Board on May 9.