TD Paul Murphy and other Irish activists released from detention in Egypt
PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT TD Paul Murphy has been released from detention in Egypt after he and several others were detained while trying to cross Egypt to reach the start point of the March for Gaza.
Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris has also confirmed that there are no Irish citizens currently in detention in Egypt relating to the march to Rafah.
Thousands of people have travelled to Egypt to hold demonstrations at its border with Palestine, but authorities have detained hundreds of people who arrived for the march in recent days.
Murphy and others travelling alongside him were detained by Egyptian authorities
yesterday
.
In an update on social media this morning, Murphy said the group were released at Cairo airport 'late last night at airport'. He said the police still the group's phones.
We were finally released late last night at airport. Police still have our phones.
We are back in Cairo and meeting shortly to decide next steps. We're focused on Israel's genocide and starvation of Gaza. Thanks for your support. Free Palestine 🇵🇸 🇵🇸🇵🇸
#GlobalMarchToGaza
pic.twitter.com/1vIHrsZGh3
— Paul Murphy 🇵🇸 (@paulmurphy_TD)
June 14, 2025
'We are back in Cairo and meeting shortly to decide next steps. We're focused on Israel's genocide and starvation of Gaza. Thanks for your support,' he said.
Simon Harris this morning said that he had spoken to the Irish embassy in Egypt.
'I am pleased that following the work of our Embassy staff, all Irish people who were detained yesterday in Rafah have been released and have had their passports returned,' the Tánaiste said.
'I spoke directly to Deputy Murphy to confirm he and other Irish people have been released from detention, had their passports returned and were receiving consular assistance.'
Harris said the wellbeing and safety of all Irish citizens abroad 'is always of concern to me and to my Department'
'I am aware some Irish citizens have not had their phones returned by the authorities and I have asked our embassy to pursue this.'
Advertisement
People Before Profit councillor Jess Spear, who is Murphy's partner, said she was relieved to hear that he and the others in his group have been released.
'However, they still want to reach Rafah to try and get humanitarian aid into Gaza. That has been the sole purpose of being in Egypt,' she said.
'Paul has appealed to Tánaiste Simon Harris to put pressure on the Egyptian authorities to let the marchers reach Rafah.
'The situation of the people of Gaza worsens by the day as they suffer starvation imposed by Israel. We need to get humanitarian aid to them as quickly as possible'.
Participants who have arrived in Cairo are travelling by car and bus to the Egyptian city of Al Arish in the north of the Sinai peninsula, where they will begin a 48km march to the Egyptian side of the Gaza border near Rafah.
Several dozen Irish activists are among the thousands who have travelled to Egypt for the March.
Social Democrats councillor Mick Barry, who has also travelled to Egypt, told
The Journal
yesterday that he was aware of around 47 Irish delegates having flown to Egypt, of whom at least 35 successfully got through the airport in Cairo.
'We got into Cairo yesterday. It was quite difficult to get through the airport for some people,' he said.
A spokesperson for the Social Democrats later said that Barry was 'turned around at a checkpoint in Ismailia but was not detained'.
Israel has pressured Egyptian authorities to prevent participants from reaching the border with Gaza.
Participants in the Global March to Gaza are aiming to arrive at the border on Sunday and camp there before returning to Cairo by next Thursday.
Organisers say their goal is 'absolutely not' to try to forcibly enter Gaza but to try to negotiate the opening of the Rafah terminal with Egyptian authorities to deliver humanitarian aid – but Egypt has been creating hurdles for the movement.
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More
Support The Journal
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
38 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
An Garda Síochána facing legal action over Denis Donaldson investigation
A policing oversight body is taking legal action against An Garda Síochána over its failure to comply with an investigation into the murder of British agent Denis Donaldson in Co Donegal almost 20 years ago. Fiosrú, which replaced the Garda Síochána Ombudsman's Commission (GSOC), has informed the Donaldson family of the move. In a letter it said it took the view that gardaí had not complied with a request for information required for its investigation. Accordingly, it said the ombudsman had decided to commence proceedings in Dublin Circuit Civil Court seeking an order for disclosure, adding that the case was in its early stages. Both Fiosrú and An Garda Síochána declined to comment. An Garda Síochána said it did not comment on Fiosrú matters. The Donaldson's family solicitor, Enda McGarrity, said the Fiosrú investigation had been ongoing for three years. "We now understand that Fiosrú are commencing legal proceedings against An Garda Síochána arising out of a failure to comply with aspects of the investigation. "That's a matter of significant concern to the family because the body which is charged with investigating the murder of Denis Donaldson are now not only being investigated, but failing to comply with investigation and that gives rise to family's wider concern that the State are currently not delivering an effective investigation." Taoiseach Micheál Martin said on Friday that he would be happy to meet the Donaldson family to discuss their concerns. Denis Donaldson was a senior Sinn Féin official working at Stormont who had been accused of being part of a republican spy-ring there. He was exposed as a long-standing British agent when the criminal case against him and others was discontinued in December 2005. He was shot dead in the family's remote cottage near Glenties in April 2006, weeks after he had been photographed and spoken to there by a newspaper journalist. Three years ago Mr Donaldson's daughter, Jane, complained to GSOC raising concerns about how the gardaí had responded to information about the threat to her father's life. She claimed that despite being told by the PSNI of an increased risk to Mr Donaldson's life after he was approached by the media, it failed to take adequate measures to protect him. Dissident republicans claimed the murder, but the family say it has an "open mind" about who was responsible. Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams successfully sued the BBC after it broadcast a documentary claiming he had sanctioned the shooting. He had vehemently denied the accusation. An inquest into the circumstances of Mr Donaldson's murder has been adjourned on 27 occasions due to the ongoing garda murder investigation. The family is also keen to have their father's journal returned. Gardaí have declined to return it, despite earlier assurances that it would be handed back. The family believes it may cast light on the lead up to Mr Donaldson's murder. They would like the Irish Government to establish a commission of investigation which can take evidence in both open and closed hearings. They believe it is the best way to get to the truth of what happened. An investigation by Northern Ireland's Police Ombudsman found the PSNI had failed to carry out a formal updated risk assessment on Mr Donaldson after he was visited by the media. The family is taking a civil action against the police and others on the basis of that report.
The Journal
43 minutes ago
- The Journal
Aircraft spot checks under consideration to ensure weapons not flown through Ireland
TRANSPORT MINISTER DARRAGH O'Brien has confirmed his department is reviewing what additional checks the state can carry out to ensure that no weapons destined for Israel are flown through Ireland. Speaking to The Journal , the minister said the review being carried out by his department regarding weapons being flown through Irish airspace and Irish airports is nearing conclusion. 'What I would say this is that I've been informed, and it is something I take very seriously, that no licenses have been granted for flying weapons from Ireland to Israel or over Irish airspace,' he said. The issue had been raised with Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris previously, when People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy walked across the Dáil chamber to give Harris documents which he claimed proved thousands of tonnes of weapons are being flown through Irish airspace. During the debate on the matter the Tánaiste outlined that the existing legislation doesn't provide for a system of random inspections. However, he said at the time that he believed it would be 'legitimate for government to consider whether to amend our own domestic legislation' to allow for such measures. The Department of Transport is carrying out 'a robust examination' of the allegations, Harris said at the time. Advertisement Asked about the review, the O'Brien told The Journal this week that it is underway, but provided no timeline for when it will conclude. Any allegations of 'munitions of war' being flown through Irish airspace or airports is taken 'very seriously', he said. 'Where someone brings forward an allegation that weapons or components of have been flown through an Irish airport or airspace or landed in Ireland by an international carrier, they are investigated,' said O'Brien. The minister said lots of aircrafts are registered in Ireland, though they don't necessarily fly through Irish airspace. 'So I think we have to be cognisant of what we're able to do,' he said. 'There are other things that we can actually do,' he said, stating that his department is assessing if there are 'certain checks' that can be carried out to assure the state that no munitions are coming through Ireland. 'They're the type things we're looking at,' he said. It is understood that random inspections of aircraft suspected of carrying weapons or parts could see agents boarding US aircraft stopped in Shannon, for example, and searching the planes to see if there are any undeclared munitions on board. O'Brien ruled out the possibility of grounding flights that fly through Irish airspace with weapons, stating that if a plane is flying from one international city to another continent through Irish airspace it is 'not realistic' that the Irish state could force the grounding of the aircraft. International carriers are 'well aware of their obligations with regard to the laws that already exist in Ireland and their legal obligations', O'Brien said. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Wexford homes experienced an 18 per cent increase in power outages in 2024
Figures provided to Cynthia Ní Mhurchú by ESB Networks under Freedom of Information show significant year on year increases in power cuts across Ireland between 2021 and 2024. There were 64,754 power cuts across Ireland in 2024, both planned and unplanned outages. This is a 22 per cent increase on 2023 where there were 53,067 power cuts. Between 2021 and 2024, residents have seen a 40 per cent increase in the number of power cuts, both planned and unplanned, across Ireland. She highlighted that some areas across Ireland seem more prone to power cuts than others. Enniscorthy had 2,507 power cuts in 2024, compared to Limerick which only had 737 power cuts in 2024. Sligo had 3,211 power cuts in 2024, up from 1,973 in 2021. ESB Networks also provided MEP Ní Mhurchú with a breakdown of the reasons for the power cuts which included bird strikes, weather issues, lightening, overhead refurbishment, overloading, and corrosion. Of more concern was the large increase in power cuts which were attributed to 'defective equipment.' Ní Mhurchú has called on ESB Networks to clarify why there is a 22 per cent jump in power outages across the country between 2023 and 2024. She has also called for a new system of compensation for householders and small businesses for outages lasting more than 12 hours. She also said that customers should not be charged for standing charges and levies when the power it out. 'My worry is that ESB Networks may be trying to cut costs by not investing in our electricity infrastructure to the extent that they should be. Power cuts have an enormous impact on families, in particular as many homes are now passive homes that depend on heat pumps and don't have open fires or stoves." Ní Mhurchú has described the dramatic increase in the number of power outages as requiring an explanation from ESB Networks, a profitable company that should be prioritising increased investment in the electricity grid. 'Customers deserve an explanation as to why they are facing more power cuts when they are paying the second highest electricity prices in Europe. The least Irish customers deserve is more investment in the infrastructure that delivers that electricity.'
