Paul Murphy (36) was first elected to the Dáil for the Anti-Austerity Alliance (AAA, Socialist Party) in 2014 in a by-election caused by the departure of Fine Gael's Brian Hayes to the European parliament.
His election was a shock – Sinn Féin’s Cathal King had been expected to win – and was seen as a vindication of the AAA’s campaign against water-charges.
In November 2014 he was involved in an anti-water charges protest in Jobstown during which the then-tánaiste Joan Burton was prevented from leaving an event in her car, for over an hour.
In 2015 he and others were charged with false imprisonment of Burton and her assistant.
On June 29th, 2017 they were acquitted of all charges.
He left the Socialist Party (Solidarity) in September 2019 and founded, with other former members, the political group Rise which remains under the Solidarity-People Before Profit banner.
Originally from Goatstown, Dublin he was educated at St Killian’s German school and University College Dublin. He is married to American Jess Spear. They live in Tallaght.
