ANTI-AUSTERITY ALLIANCE TD Paul Murphy has said he wasn’t aware he was due to be charged in connection with the Jobstown anti-water charges protest before it was “leaked” to the media last night.

RTÉ News reported last night that 20 people, including the deputy himself,  will be charged in connection with the Tallaght protest during which Tánaiste Joan Burton was trapped in her car.

The charges are expected to include false imprisonment, violent disorder and criminal damage.

In a statement this morning, Murphy said questions must be asked over how this information was “leaked to the media… before people themselves were told they would be charged”. He continued:

Just as no Garda was in touch with me to question me before my arrest, nobody has been in touch suggesting that we would be charged, or charging us.

He described the alleged charges as an attack on the right to protest, and said any court proceedings will be “a major political trial initiated on foot of political policing”.

If the Labour Party thinks protesters facing potential prison sentences is going to in some way redeem itself in advance of the next election, it will be sorely mistaken.

Murphy believes the move will only serve to draw more people out to next national Right2Water protest at the end of this month.

If Murphy is convicted for over six months, he can be removed from office under the 1992 Electoral Act.

Read: Over 20 people, including a TD, will be charged in connection with the Jobstown Irish Water protest >

‘Irish Water is dead’: Hundreds turn out for protest in Alan Kelly’s hometown >

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