Paul Murphy (Irish politician)
Encyclopedia
Paul Murphy is an Irish
Member of the European Parliament
(MEP) for the Dublin constituency
, representing the Socialist Party
/United Left Alliance
(ULA).
with a degree in Law in 2004. He had previously studied for the Leaving Certificate at the Dublin Institute of Education
. In 2003 he unsuccessfully ran for president of the UCD Students' Union. He joined the Socialist Party in 2001. Murphy also has worked in the European Parliament with Joe Higgins as his political advisor. As in line with Socialist Party policy he does not live on the full salary of an MEP but instead lives on the average industrial wage.
A 2008 short film, which describes him as a full time activist
for the Socialist Party, follows his involvement in protests against cutbacks at Tallaght Hospital
during the Irish financial crisis
. He is also active in Free Education for Everyone
, a group campaigning against the reintroduction of fees for third-level education in Ireland. In 2009 he was working on a PhD thesis titled "Does socialist law exist?"
to replace Joe Higgins
, who became an Member of the European Parliament
as a result of the 2009 election
, after Higgins was elected to Dáil Éireann
in 2011.
Murphy sits as a full member on the International Trade committee in the European Parliament as a substitute on the Employment and Social Affairs and Petitions committees. He is also a full member of the South Asia Delegation and a substitute on the Mercosur delegation. He has been a member of the Socialist Party National Committee since 2001 and the National Executive Committee since 2010.
He participated in the second freedom flotilla
to Gaza which was unsuccessful due to alleged sabotage by the Israeli state. In August 2011 he also visited the Susa Valley near Turin to visit the No TAV campaign which campaigns against the construction of an environmentally destructive and unpopular high speed railway linking Lyon
and Turin
.
Murphy is a supporter of the Shell to Sea campaign. In August 2011 while protesting against the construction of the pipeline in Erris he and others were forcibly removed from a protest by Gardaí. A complaint was submitted to the Garda Ombudsman alleging unreasonable use of force.
In early November 2011, Murphy was reported to be on board a ship heading to Gaza as part of a flotilla on a humanitarian mission. Israeli forces boarded the ship on 4 November and imprisoned Murphy and all the other activists on board, with one them saying this was carried out in a "violent and dangerous" manner. Irish politicians condemned the treatment of the activists, and the Department of Foreign Affairs lodged a complaint when the activists failed to arrive home at their expected time, while Canadian activists involved urged their foreign minister John Baird
to resign for "failing to do his job". Israel is expected to deport Murphy on 11 November.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
(MEP) for the Dublin constituency
Dublin (European Parliament constituency)
Dublin is a constituency of the European Parliament in Ireland. It elects 3 Members of the European Parliament using the single transferable vote form of proportional representation .-History and boundaries:...
, representing the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (Ireland)
The Socialist Party is a socialist political party active in Ireland. It is a member of the Committee for a Workers' International .Formerly known as Militant Tendency, then Militant Labour, it adopted the name The Socialist Party in 1996. From their foundation in 1972 until the 1980s, members of...
/United Left Alliance
United Left Alliance
The United Left Alliance is an electoral alliance of left-wing political parties and independent politicians in the Republic of Ireland, formed to contest the 2011 general election...
(ULA).
Early life
Murphy graduated from University College DublinUniversity College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
with a degree in Law in 2004. He had previously studied for the Leaving Certificate at the Dublin Institute of Education
Institute of Education (Dublin)
The Institute of Education was founded in 1969 by Irish applied mathematics school teacher, Raymond Kearns, and is currently one of the largest private secondary schools in Ireland. Unlike most other Irish secondary schools, the Institute only provides tuition for the final two years of the...
. In 2003 he unsuccessfully ran for president of the UCD Students' Union. He joined the Socialist Party in 2001. Murphy also has worked in the European Parliament with Joe Higgins as his political advisor. As in line with Socialist Party policy he does not live on the full salary of an MEP but instead lives on the average industrial wage.
A 2008 short film, which describes him as a full time activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
for the Socialist Party, follows his involvement in protests against cutbacks at Tallaght Hospital
Tallaght Hospital
The Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, incorporating the National Children's Hospital , often referred to simply as Tallaght Hospital , is a teaching hospital in Tallaght, County Dublin, Ireland. Its academic partner is the University of Dublin, Trinity College...
during the Irish financial crisis
2008–2011 Irish financial crisis
The 2008–2011 Irish financial crisis, which had stemmed from the financial crisis of 2008, is a major political and economic crisis in Ireland that is partly responsible for the country falling into recession for the first time since the 1980s...
. He is also active in Free Education for Everyone
Free Education for Everyone
Free Education for Everyone is an Irish student campaign group which was set up in September 2008 in University College Dublin to fight the proposed re-introduction of university fees...
, a group campaigning against the reintroduction of fees for third-level education in Ireland. In 2009 he was working on a PhD thesis titled "Does socialist law exist?"
MEP
Murphy was co-opted onto the European ParliamentEuropean Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
to replace Joe Higgins
Joe Higgins
Joe Higgins is an Irish Socialist Party politician. In the 2011 general election he was elected to Dáil Éireann as Teachta Dála for the Dublin West constituency, having previously served in that capacity from 1997–2007...
, who became an Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
as a result of the 2009 election
European Parliament election, 2009 (Ireland)
The 2009 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2009 European Parliament election and was held on Friday, 5 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections...
, after Higgins was elected to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
in 2011.
Murphy sits as a full member on the International Trade committee in the European Parliament as a substitute on the Employment and Social Affairs and Petitions committees. He is also a full member of the South Asia Delegation and a substitute on the Mercosur delegation. He has been a member of the Socialist Party National Committee since 2001 and the National Executive Committee since 2010.
He participated in the second freedom flotilla
Freedom Flotilla II
"Freedom Flotilla II – Stay Human" was a flotilla that planned to break the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip by Israel by sailing to Gaza on 5 July 2011. Ultimately, the sailing did not take place....
to Gaza which was unsuccessful due to alleged sabotage by the Israeli state. In August 2011 he also visited the Susa Valley near Turin to visit the No TAV campaign which campaigns against the construction of an environmentally destructive and unpopular high speed railway linking Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
and Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
.
Murphy is a supporter of the Shell to Sea campaign. In August 2011 while protesting against the construction of the pipeline in Erris he and others were forcibly removed from a protest by Gardaí. A complaint was submitted to the Garda Ombudsman alleging unreasonable use of force.
In early November 2011, Murphy was reported to be on board a ship heading to Gaza as part of a flotilla on a humanitarian mission. Israeli forces boarded the ship on 4 November and imprisoned Murphy and all the other activists on board, with one them saying this was carried out in a "violent and dangerous" manner. Irish politicians condemned the treatment of the activists, and the Department of Foreign Affairs lodged a complaint when the activists failed to arrive home at their expected time, while Canadian activists involved urged their foreign minister John Baird
John Baird (Canadian politician)
John Russell Baird, PC, MP is a Canadian politician currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper....
to resign for "failing to do his job". Israel is expected to deport Murphy on 11 November.