SF MEP defends McDonald's Dáil sit-in

Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy has defended the behaviour of his party's deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald in the Dáil yesterday.

Opponents have accused Ms McDonald of pulling a "political stunt" after she refused to leave the chamber following her suspension by the Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett.

Mr Carthy, MEP for the Midlands North West constituency, says Deputy McDonald was just doing her job.

He said: "When we are putting forward questions on behalf of the people that we represent, we are not simply going to be told, or allow ourselves to be put in a position where those questions are not answered.

"I believe Mary Lou McDonald was right to put the questions, and I believe Joan Burton was wrong not to answer them and I believe the Ceann Comhairle was wrong not to direct the Tánaiste to answer questions that had been made."