Rosnashane band want meeting with Mervyn Storey

Saying that it has led to considerable anger in the village, Mr McKay said: “I have discussed this matter with Rosnashane band and they have pointed out a number of inaccuracies in Mr Storey’s allegations.

“Firstly the 11/1 forms that he alleges were not submitted until a week before the parade were originally submitted five months ago in February as the Parades Commission has verified. Secondly the purpose of this small parade was to raise funds for the Belfast City Cancer Centre. The Parades Commission described it as a “small, family friendly event”.

“The band has responded in a mature manner and would like Mervyn Storey to meet with them to discuss this matter. They have found it very disheartening that he has chosen to turn what was a celebration for the band into a political debate. I hope that he will accept that invitation.

“That demonstrates that they are willing to meet with other parties to discuss issues and attempt to resolve them, a position that if replicated by other groups organising parades in Rasharkin would go some way to resolving the difficulties that arise every summer.

“The hall that Rosnashane band uses has been attacked repeatedly in the past couple of years and it beggars belief that the DUP have chosen to single the band out for attack on the basis of a false allegation.

“The fact that Mr Storey has said that the Orange Order is being treated differently from other groups submitting 11/1 forms, in the same week as a last minute application for the Orange Order in Portadown was accepted, has left many in this village accusing him of rank hypocrisy and political opportunism.”