Paul Murphy, inset Derek Byrne who was imprisoned for breaking the injunction

TD Paul Murphy has called for anti-water charge campaigners to breach a court ordered injunction preventing them from interfering with the installation of water meters.

Mr Murphy said he would breach such an injunction himself, and encouraged others to do the same.

Speaking to Newstalk, he said:

“There was an injunction given to a private company, to prevent people going within 20 metres of water meters.

“There was no finding of criminal acts by the judge.

“The court should never have given such an order. People have an absolute right to protest, and to protest peacefully.”

He called for widespread defiance of any injunctions ordered by the courts.

“There should now be widespread defiance of any injunction relating to water meter installation, People cannot be intimidated from protesting.

“I would be happy to breach such an injunction, I would encourage others to breach such an injunction.

“How many people are they willing to jail to get these water meters in?”

Mr Murphy made his comments after several anti-water charge protesters were jailed yesterday for breaching a court order to stay 20 metres away from water meter installations.

The protesters can purge their contempt at any time, by agreeing to obey the court order.

Online Editors