In that incident, two robbers attempting to grab money at the post office in the village were intercepted and both were shot dead.

The garda emergency response unit (ERU) was just one of four units deployed on the scene among the four dozen gardai who took part in the incident. Colm Griffin, 33, and Eric Hopkins, 24, were killed during the botched robbery when they were shot by a member of the garda unit with a single bullet each, fired from a high-velocity 9mm Sig Sauer handgun.

Central to Barr's deliberations in relation to the 2000 killing in Longford was whether John Carthy could have been shot with so-called less-lethal ammunition . . . which covers a broad range of firepower designed to incapacitate a victim.

These weapons are less likely to cause death than a conventional bullet or shotgun cartridge which is fired from a normal gun.

In the immediate aftermath of the shootings, in May 2005, the Sunday Tribune learned that lesslethal weapons were not deployed to the ERU officers who were assigned to intercept the raiders at Lusk.

Less-lethal weapons are exclusively available to the ERU for hostage and other emergency situations, and seriously incapacitate human targets rather than kill them. The ERU was issued with less-lethal weapons in November 2002 by justice minister Michael McDowell. These include an adapted shotgun which fires a bag of lead shot, called 'bean-bag shot', which can incapacitate a target as powerfully as ammunition fired from other specialist firearms, but which is not likely to result in the target's death. The bean-bag works by striking the target with a purse of lead-shot, which opens on impact rather than penetrating the body. The force of the bag is likely to cause considerable damage to the body but is not fatal.

Barr acknowledged in his report that effective less-lethal weaponry was not available to gardai at the time of Carthy's shooting in 2000 nor indeed was it widely available to any European police forces. At that time the development of such ammunition types was in the early stages although it has continued apace in the intervening years.

Barr recommended that gardai consider using a device called a Taser gun which fires an electric prod to disable a victim.

Following the Barr report's publication last week, a garda spokesman said that the ERU will now be issued Taser less-lethal weaponry. However, as the Lusk shootings indicate, the fact that the unit has a less-lethal option does not necessarily mean that these will be issued to officers deployed to an incident.

UNDER SIEGE: THE BARR RECOMMENDATIONS

IN HIS report on the Abbeylara siege, Justice Robert Barr recommended that the garda commissioner and minister for justice should devise a new command structure for dealing with siege situations, in which they would decide whether:

>> Garda management should consider equipping ERU officers with Taser stun guns and exploring other nonlethal options.

>> The ERU commander, with a minimum rank of inspector, should have full responsibility for all tactical and negotiating decisions.

>> The local district commander's command function should be limited to functions such as the provision of ancillary services, the appointment of an officer to liaise with the ERU and the provision of equipment.

>> Local area superintendents should undergo refresher training as scene commanders for one week each year.

>> Senior ERU officers should go on refresher courses.

>> Garda negotiators should attend courses of at least two weeks' duration which deal with siege situations.

>> Garda recruits should be trained to deal with mental illness.

>> A formal working arrangement should be established between gardai and state psychologists.

>> Trained police dogs should be used in siege situations if required.

>> Sufficient specialist command vehicles should be provided for gardai.