DREW Harris has defended garda handling of the Evan Fitzgerald case after the gunman killed himself with a gun in a Carlow Shopping Centre after being arrested for buying guns from undercover cops.
The Garda Commissioner has warned that “people will see why this was entirely proportionate” when others linked to the case are dealt with in the courts.


Evan Fitzgerald, 22, was arrested last year as part of an investigation into the sale of weapons on the dark net.
Undercover gardai arranged to meet Fitzgerald and two others and carried out a “controlled delivery” where they provided decommissioned guns from garda stores to the three men.
Gardai then swooped on the men and arrested them over firearms charges.
In the run up to his court date, Fitzgerald went on to steal a shotgun from a neighbour and went to Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Carlow where fired a number of shots in the air before turning the weapon on himself and taking his life.
The 22-year-old has been described as a “vulnerable” person who was obsessed with guns.
Former Justice Minister Michael McDowell raised the case in the Seanad this week and accused gardai of entrapment.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris was this afternoon quizzed about the case in the Public Accounts Committee where he launched a staunch defence of the actions of the undercover gardai.
He said: “I do believe the operation was necessary.
“I’ve reported to the Minister on the operation and a file was submitted to the DPP as well and they accepted that file and there were charges preferred in respect of those firearms but also other items including explosives.
“I do think in terms of public safety and the danger there was to the public that that operation was fully warranted and proportional.”
Pressed on the issue by Labour TD Eoghan Kenny, the Commissioner claimed details that will emerge from the courts on the case will justify the gardai’s actions.
He said: “This matter is still before the courts.
“There are still two individuals who are before the courts and I don’t want to elaborate further but I think once more details emerge through the courts process people will then see for themselves actually why this operation was entirely proportional.”
INCORRECT INFORMATION CIRCULATING
The Commissioner told Fine Gael’s James Geoghegan that he noted Senator McDowell’s entrapment accusations and has referred them to the Ombudsman due to the seriousness of the charge made in the Seanad.
The Commissioner said that there was some incorrect information circulating about the case.
He said the guns used during the “controlled delivery” operation were taken back by gardai.
He clarified that the gun Evan Fitzgerald took to the Carlow shopping centre had been stolen during a burglary.
Gardai also later found another gun and an imitation gun as part of searches carried out after the Carlow shooting and they were unaware of how Fitzgerald obtained these guns.