Sinn Féin TD for Cavan-Monaghan Matt Carthy attended an interview with the PSNI at Musgrave police station in Belfast on Thursday, 29 October. The interview concerned a protest on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown earlier this month. Donegal TD Pearse Doherty was interviewed at the same station the same afternoon, Highland Radio reported.

The protest

Northern Sound reports that Deputy Carthy joined a demonstration aimed at stopping the Orange Order from marching through the mainly nationalist area. The stand-off came after the Northern Ireland Parades Commission ruled that 35 Orangemen could walk the Garvaghy Road route.

On Wednesday, Belfast's High Court ruled that the Northern Ireland Secretary of State's decision to ban the Drumcree march was lawful, according to Northern Sound.

Highland Radio reported that Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and First Minister Michelle O'Neill had already attended interviews about their part in the demonstration. So had a number of other TDs, MLAs and senators.

"No going back"

Deputy Carthy told Northern Sound he does not regret taking part. "I, and other Sinn Féin representatives, are very proud to have stood with the people of the Garvaghy Road to ensure that 28 years of peace and progress are protected," he said. "Standing up for what's right is always the right thing to do."

"Our message today and every day is that there's no going back, not now and not ever," he added.

For more on Deputy Carthy's work, see his comments on the legal aid dispute at the Justice Committee.