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Paul Murphy (born 13 April 1983) is an Irish Socialist Party/United Left Alliance (ULA) Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Dublin constituency. The Socialist Party is in the European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) group of MEPs. Murphy replaced Joe Higgins, who was elected MEP in 2009, after Higgins was elected to Dáil Éireann in 2011.

In 2004 he graduated from University College Dublin with a degree in Law. In 2003 as part of a campaign against the proposed reintroduction of fees he unsuccessfully ran for president of the UCD Students' Union. He has been an activist and an organiser with the Socialist Party since 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.

Activism

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?"

Activities as MEP

Paul 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.

Since becoming an MEP he has been active on many international issues. In July 2011 he visited Kazakhstan and has een vocal in support for striking oil workers. He also 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.

In Ireland Murphy has been prominent in campaigning for young workers rights, holding a series of public meetings throughout Dublin as part of the 'Jobs not Dole campaign'. He has also been vocal in opposition to the EU/IMF bailout of Ireland and austerity measures being carried out by the government including the proposed 'Household Tax'.

Murphy has been a longstanding activist in 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 November 2011, Murphy was reported to be on board a ship heading to Gaza on a humanitarian mission.

References

1. "Your MEPs: Paul Murphy". European Parliament. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
2. Lundy, David (23 March 2011). "GUE/NGL welcomes new MEP Paul Murphy". GUE/NGL. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
3. "Murphy to replace Higgins as MEP". The Irish Times. 23 March 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
4. "To Fight Fees: Vote Paul Murphy No.1 for President". Socialist Party. February 2003. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
5. Plunkett, Sean (14 June 2008). "Which Side Are You On?". YouTube. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
6. Cantwell, Simon (10 February 2009). "FEE express disappointment over portrayal in magazine". The University Observer. UCD. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
7. "PhD newsletter" (PDF). UCD Law faculty. 9 July 2009. p. 4. Retrieved 23 March 2011. {{cite web}}: |chapter= ignored (help)
8. "European Parliament website". European Parliament. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
9. "Paul Murphy MEP website". report fom website. Paul Murphy MEP. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
10. Duncan, Pamela (30 June 2011). "Irish ship will not sail to Gaza after 'sabotage'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
11. "Paul Murphy MEP on Italian news". TGR. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
12. "Jobs not Dole public meetings". Paul Murphy MEP. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
13. Lally, Conor (2 September 2011). "MEP lodges complaint over Corrib protest with Garda ombudsman". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
14. "Irish aid ship bound for Gaza". RTÉ. 2 November 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2011.

External links

• Official website

Template:Socialist Party (Ireland) Elected Representatives

Template:Persondata

• 1983 births
• Living people
• Socialist Party (Ireland) politicians
• Socialist Party (Ireland) MEPs
• MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 2009–2014
• Alumni of University College Dublin