64 Gun Crimes By People On Bail: Carlow Incident Reignites Bail Reform Debate

Tuesday, 3 June 2025 10:31

By Martin Osborne

It's after 22-year-old Evan Fitzgerald fired a number of shots at the Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Carlow Town on Sunday evening, before taking his own life. He was out on bail after being charged last year with firearms offences after he was intercepted near Straffan.

The mayor of Carlow says people facing gun charges should not be on bail.

It's after 22-year-old Evan Fitzgerald fired a number of shots at the Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Carlow Town on Sunday evening, before taking his own life.

He was out on bail after being charged last year with firearms offences after he was intercepted near Straffan.

At that time, a firearm – a Heckler and Koch G3 rifle – was seized along with a Remington M1911 handgun and a variety of ammunition.

He had purchased them on the dark web.

Fianna Fáil councillor Fintan Phelan is among those calling for reform of bail laws.

More than 40,000 crimes were committed by individuals on bail in 2024, according to figures released to Sinn Fein TD Matt Carthy.

Further details revealed that from 2022 to 2024, individuals on bail committed 64 crimes involving the possession of firearms and 2,312 crimes involving possession of an offensive weapon.

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