'Irish Government must step in' on Garvaghy Road - Peadar Tóibín

The Meath West TD added that "The human cost of this parade was 21 lives”.

Mr Tóibín described the Parades Commission decision to allow the Drumcree Orange order parade for the first time since 1998 as “one of the most destabilising that could possibly have been made”.

“The Irish Government must step in and use its influence with the British government on this,” he added.

"Drumcree was one of the most bitter and dangerous disputes of the 1990s. It fuelled sectarian tension, violence and death. Resurrecting it could put progress in the North back decades. This is a major mistake. The Irish Government must intervene."

The Parades Commission gave the Orange Order permission to mmarch through the predominantly nationalist Garvaghy Road on Sunday. The parade had been banned for almost 30 years.

Following community mobilisation by the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition and supporters on Sunday (September 27, 2026) the PSNI did not permit the Orange Order parade down the Garvaghy Road.

Speaking after participating in the peaceful protest on the Garvagh Road on Sunday, Mr Tóibín said the purpose of the Orange Order march down the Garvaghy Road was “to polarise the two communities into extremes for the next election”.

“If there is a strategic choice in having an election on community conflict or maternity services closing in Daisy Hill and Causeway hospital, the DUP will always choose the former,” he added.

“Unionism is in crisis. Jeffrey Donaldson is facing 10 years in prison for horrendous crimes. DUP polls ratings are on the floor. They dont want elections on hospital, housing or the cost of living crises. They want the electorate well and truly distracted by community division.

“Next to come under pressure will be Stormont. A collapsed Stormont will cement the context of the next election into the DUP v SF election. I’m not saying for a second that SF created this current crisis. But they too have been looking at ways to bring down Stormont in recent months.

“There is a symbiotic relationship between the DUP and SF. Both parties are strategically more comfortable when the bread-and-butter issues are eclipsed by community division. Both parties need each other to energise their base. The problem with this is, all the while, poverty increases, houses do not get built, health services are closed and children with learning needs do not get the services that they need. There is a downward spiral in the delivery of public services that is fraying the very fabric of our communities.

“More and more people are recognising the strategy of division and distraction. Indeed, I have been hearted by the large number of unionist voices who also recognise this. The decision to allow the Orange Order March down the Gavaghy Rd, is the most destabilising decision since the Good Friday Agreement for community relations. It is potentially incredibly damaging for life and limb. So much positive cross community development has happened in the last 30 years. Much of that is now at risk,” said Mr Tóibín.

He added: “But another serious side-effect of this decision is, the deletion of bread-and-butter issues for the political system that is supposed to fix them. If this is allowed, we will all be more divided and poorer in 5 years’ time.”