The last doctor to treat John Carthy before his death has told the Barr tribunal that Mr Carthy seemed "quite well" and was looking forward to starting a new job.
Dr Gerard Meagher, who worked in a surgery in Granard, Co Longford at the time, saw Mr Carthy (27) some four weeks before he was shot dead by armed gardaí at his home in Abbeylara on April 20th, 2000.
Dr Meagher, who was one of several doctors to treat Mr Carthy for depression, told the tribunal Mr Carthy appeared more "settled" and quite capable of returning to work.
The tribunal, which is investigating Mr Carthy's death, also heard how Mr Carthy appeared optimistic about starting a new job in Longford town.
Although he admitted to having seen Mr Carthy on only a few occasions and to not knowing him that well, Dr Meagher said it seemed Mr Carthy was "just going to get on with his life".
Dr Meagher said he was disappointed but not altogether surprised when he was informed of the stand-off at the Carthy household on April 19th. He said despite the progress Mr Carthy had made he was still in a "brittle state" and that a person in this position could run "into problems quite quickly".
The tribunal also heard evidence from a pathologist at Mullingar General Hospital who analysed a blood sample from Mr Carthy's body the day after he was shot. He did the analysis on request from the State Pathologist at the time, Dr John Harbison.
Dr Kevin Kinane said he found the levels of lithium, the drug used to treat Mr Carthy for depression, in the blood sample to be within the therapeutic range.
That would suggest Mr Carthy had not over- or under-dosed on his medication prior to his death.
