An MEP has denied that Sinn Fein is exploiting an eviction in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon, before Christmas, as his party prepares for a meeting on the issue.

Matt Carthy – an MEP for the Midlands-North-West constituency – will attend a meeting in Strokestown with his party colleague Pearse Doherty, to discuss the actions of banks and vulture funds, as he explained on Shannonside radio in Longford.

“This [meeting] is one of a series across the state, so it’s not particularly a case that we’ve decided to come to Strokestown, explained Carthy.

Back in December, violence erupted just outside the small Roscommon town, when security personal attempted to repossess a house from two elderly brothers and their sister.

These individuals, working on a repossession order from a financial institution, were confronted by a number of other men attempting to stop the eviction.

However, Carthy argued that Strokestown was an appropriate event for such a meeting, saying that the people there have a particular understanding of the issues.

“Although I do think that it is apt. People in Strokestown are very well aware of the actions of the banks, vulture funds and security firms,” said Carthy.

But make no mistake about it; this isn’t about stirring up issues and this isn’t about exploiting the scenario we saw in Strokestown prior to Christmas.

According to Carthy, this series of meetings, of which the Strokestown event is one, is aimed at drawing up policies to prevent something like the December eviction being repeated elsewhere.

“This is in fact about putting forward a set of political propositions to ensure that we never see scenes like we saw in Strokestown ever again,” he explained.