Conor Murphy

{{About|the Sinn Féin politician|the American ice hockey player|Connor Murphy}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = Senator

| name = Conor Murphy

| image = Conor Murphy 2025 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Murphy in 2025

| alt =

| imagesize =

| office = Leader of Sinn Féin in the Seanad

| leader = Mary Lou McDonald

| term_start = 12 February 2025

| term_end =

| predecessor = Niall Ó Donnghaile

| office1 = Senator

| term_start1 = 30 January 2025

| term_end1 =

| constituency1 = Industrial and Commercial Panel

| office2 = Minister for the Economy

| term_start2 = 3 February 2024{{efn|name=Econ|Deirdre Hargey served as interim minister from 8 May 2024 to 28 May 2024.}}

| term_end2 = 30 January 2025

| firstminister2 = Michelle O'Neill

| predecessor2 = Gordon Lyons (2022)

| successor2 = Caoimhe Archibald

| office3 = Minister of Finance

| term_start3 = 11 January 2020

| term_end3 = 27 October 2022

| firstminister3 = {{ubl|Arlene Foster|Paul Givan|Vacant}}

| predecessor3 = Máirtín Ó Muilleoir

| successor3 = Caoimhe Archibald (2024)

| office4 = Minister for Regional Development

| term_start4 = 8 May 2007

| term_end4 = 16 May 2011

| firstminister4 = {{ubl|Ian Paisley|Peter Robinson}}

| predecessor4 = Peter Robinson

| successor4 = Danny Kennedy

| office5 = Member of Parliament
for Newry and Armagh

| parliament5 =

| term_start5 = 5 May 2005

| term_end5 = 30 March 2015

| majority5 =

| predecessor5 = Seamus Mallon

| successor5 = Mickey Brady

| office6 = Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Newry and Armagh

| assembly6 =

| term_start6 = 8 June 2015

| term_end6 = 30 January 2025

| majority6 =

| predecessor6 = Mickey Brady

| successor6 = Aoife Finnegan

| term_start7 = 25 June 1998

| term_end7 = 2 July 2012

| majority7 =

| predecessor7 = Constituency created

| successor7 = Megan Fearon

| office8 = Member of
Newry and Mourne District Council

| constituency8 = The Fews

| term_start8 = 17 May 1989

| term_end8 = 21 May 1997

| predecessor8 = Brendan Lewis

| successor8 = Brendan Lewis

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1963|7|10}}

| birth_place = Camlough, County Armagh, Northern Ireland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Irish

| spouse = Catherine Murphy

| children = 2

| party = Sinn Féin

| alma_mater = {{ubl|University of Ulster|Queen's University of Belfast}}

| website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20100422122214/http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/14975 Conor Murphy]

| footnotes =

}}

Conor Terence Murphy[http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U45752 Profile], ukwhoswho.com; accessed 29 November 2015. (born 10 July 1963) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician, who has served as a senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel since January 2025. He previously served as Minister for the Economy of Northern Ireland from 2024 to 2025.{{efn|name=Econ}} He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Newry and Armagh from 2015 until 2025, having previously served as the Member of Parliament for Newry and Armagh from 2005 to 2015, observing the Sinn Fein policy of abstentionism.[http://archive.niassembly.gov.uk/members/biogs_03/murphy_c.htm Northern Ireland Assembly: Conor Murphy][http://m.politics.co.uk/reference/conor-murphy Conor Murphy biography] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120709213323/http://m.politics.co.uk/reference/conor-murphy |date=9 July 2012 }}

Early life

Murphy was born in Camlough, South Armagh and joined the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the 1981 hunger strikes.{{cite web|url=http://republican-news.org/archive/2001/May10/10newr.html|title=Sinn Féin can take Newry/Armagh|publisher=An Phoblacht|access-date=12 February 2007}} In 1982 he was sentenced to five years in prison for IRA membership and possession of explosives.{{cite web|title=Back to jail for politicians|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/2010320.stm|work=BBC News|date=27 May 2002|access-date=20 February 2007}}

Political career

Between 1989 and 1997, he was a Sinn Féin councillor on Newry and Mourne District Council for The Fews area,[http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/85-89lgnandm.htm Newry and Mourne election results] ARK, accessed 1 April 2011 in South Armagh and South Down, and served as his party's group leader at that level.

=Assembly elections=

In 1998, Murphy was elected as one of his party's two Northern Ireland Assembly members for Newry and Armagh. He was re-elected, with two party colleagues, to the Assembly in 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/ananda.htm|title=Newry and Armagh|publisher=ARK|access-date=12 February 2007}}

In 2001, he contested the Newry and Armagh Westminster seat, coming second to incumbent Séamus Mallon of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). When Mallon decided not to contest the seat again, Murphy became the clear favourite to win and was elected on 5 May 2005.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/northern_ireland/4409729.stm|title=Changes certain in race for poll|work=BBC News|access-date=12 February 2007|date=5 April 2005}}{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/northern_ireland/4497985.stm|title=Sinn Féin win Newry and Armagh|work=BBC News|access-date=12 February 2007|date=6 May 2005}}

=Abstentionism and tour of UK party conferences=

He refused to take his seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in line with the abstentionist policy of Sinn Féin. In the Northern Ireland Assembly, he served as the Minister for Regional Development in the Northern Ireland Executive from 8 May 2007 until 16 May 2011. While on a tour of UK party conferences in autumn 2005, he became the first Irish republican to address the Conservative Party conference and caused controversy by refusing to express regret over the Brighton hotel bombing.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4309568.stm|title=MP 'no regrets' over Tory bombing|work=BBC News|access-date=12 February 2007|date=4 October 2005}}

=Tribunal over appointment of head of Northern Ireland Water=

In 2011, while Minister for Regional Development, Murphy appointed Seán Hogan, a Catholic, as head of Northern Ireland Water, turning down the applications of four Protestants on the shortlist. A tribunal subsequently awarded £150,000 damages for discrimination to one of these applicants, Alan Lennon, judging that Hogan was appointed because "he was not from a Protestant background and because he was known to the minister and his (then Sinn Fein) ministerial colleagues Michelle Gildernew and Caitríona Ruane, who were consulted about the appointment."{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18526303|title=Department for Regional Development discriminated against candidate|work=BBC News|access-date=18 December 2012|date=20 June 2012}} The tribunal found Murphy's evidence was "implausible and lack[ing] credibility", and that, during Murphy's tenure at the Department for Regional Development, there was a "material bias against the appointment of candidates from a Protestant background".{{cite web|url=http://www.irishnews.com/news/employment-tribunal-criticises-ex-sinn-fein-minister-murphy-1168267|title=Employment tribunal criticises ex-Sinn Fein minister Murphy|publisher=Irish News|access-date=18 December 2012|date=21 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525195820/http://www.irishnews.com/news/employment-tribunal-criticises-ex-sinn-fein-minister-murphy-1168267|archive-date=25 May 2014|df=dmy-all}} Murphy disputed the finding which he said branded him "sectarian".{{cite web|title=Alan Lennon case: Protestant job applicant to receive £150,000|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20451694|work=BBC News|date=22 November 2012|access-date=22 November 2012}} Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Martin McGuinness defended him, claiming Murphy doesn't have "a sectarian bone in his body".{{cite news|title=Conor Murphy 'hasn't a sectarian bone', says McGuinness|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18658300|work=BBC News|date=30 June 2012|access-date=27 August 2012}}

=Witness in Declan Gormley case=

In December 2012, Murphy appeared as a witness at Belfast High Court in the case of Declan Gormley, whom Murphy had sacked in 2010 from his post as a non-executive director of NI Water. Gormley sued Sinn Féin over two press releases which he argued were defamatory. Gormley was subsequently offered £80,000 in damages.{{cite web|url=http://www.belfastdaily.co.uk/2012/12/14/sinn-fein-ordered-to-pay-80000-to-ex-ni-water-director-in-libel-action|title=Sinn Fein order to pay £80,000 to ex NI water director in libel action|publisher=Belfast Daily|access-date=18 December 2012|date=14 December 2012}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/paul-quinn-sinn-fein-conor-murphy-4994057-Feb2020/|title=The 2007 killing of Paul Quinn: A timeline of the investigation and the political fallout|publisher=TheJournal.ie|date=5 February 2020|access-date=2 March 2020|last=McGrath|first=Dominic}}

=Controversy over comments about Paul Quinn=

In 2007, shortly after the murder of Paul Quinn, Conor Murphy said in an interview with Spotlight that "Paul Quinn was involved with smuggling and criminality and I think that everyone accepts that."{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-northern-ireland-51387864/paul-quinn-conor-murphy-s-comments-about-murdered-man|title=Paul Quinn: Conor Murphy's comments about murdered man|work=BBC News|date=5 February 2020|access-date=2 March 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/paul-quinn-sinn-fein-conor-murphy-4994057-Feb2020/|title=The 2007 killing of Paul Quinn: A timeline of the investigation and the political fallout|publisher=TheJournal.ie|date=5 February 2020|access-date=2 March 2020|last=McGrath|first=Dominic}}{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2020/0205/1113284-breege-quinn-paul-quinn-conor-murphy/|title=Murphy apologises to Paul Quinn's family for 'criminality' remarks|publisher=RTÉ News|date=6 February 2020|access-date=2 March 2020|last1=Libreri|first1=Samantha|last2=O'Brien|first2=Fergal|author3=Press Association}}

During the 2020 Irish general election Conor Murphys' comments were a point of discussion.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/who-was-paul-quinn-and-why-has-his-murder-become-an-election-issue-1.4162636|title=Who was Paul Quinn and why has his murder become an election issue?|newspaper=The Irish Times}} Breege Quinn said that her son was definitely not involved in criminality and called on Conor Murphy to withdraw his remarks and make a public apology to the Quinn family.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/campaign-daily/2020/0203/1112928-mary-lou-mcdonald-bryan-dobson/|title=McDonald to ask Murphy to speak to Paul Quinn's family over criminality remarks|publisher=RTÉ News|date=3 February 2020|access-date=2 March 2020|last=Libreri|first=Samantha}} On 6 February 2020 Conor Murphy spoke to RTÉ and said that he had withdrawn the remarks he had made in 2007 and apologised to the Quinn family. Breege Quinn repeated her call for him to resign as Minister for Finance at Stormont. She said he "should finish off and get justice" for the Quinn family. She said he should "go and tell the PSNI and the Gardaí exactly who he was speaking to" in the IRA after the murder. She said she would not meet Conor Murphy until he "comes out publicly saying that he is going to the PSNI to give the names of the IRA that he spoke to in Cullyhanna".

=Seanad Elections=

Murphy contested the 2025 Seanad election for the Industrial and Commercial Panel. He confirmed that if elected he would resign from the Northern Ireland Assembly. Murphy dismissed claims that his candidacy was part of an attempt by the party to bolster its political team in the Republic saying that it was "very much about the constitutional debate [about reunification]".https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2024/1230/1488509-conor-murphy-sinn-fein/ He was elected on the final count.https://www.thejournal.ie/sinn-fein-stormont-minister-conor-murphy-wins-final-seat-on-seanad-industry-panel-6612573-Feb2025/ He was replaced as minister by Caoimhe Archibald.{{Cite web |date=3 February 2025 |title=Caoimhe Archibald named Economy Minister in Sinn Féin reshuffle after Conor Murphy Seanad election |url=https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2025-02-03/sinn-fein-stormont-reshuffle-after-murphy-departure |website=ITV News}} On 12 February 2025, Murphy was appointed as Leader of Sinn Féin in the Seanad.{{Cite web |date=12 February 2025 |title=Senator Mark Daly elected as Seanad Cathaoirleach|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2025/0212/1496369-senator-mark-daly-elected-as-seanad-cathaoirleach/|website=RTÉ News}}

Personal life

Murphy lives in Camlough with his wife, Catherine, and two children.{{Cite news |date=2014-11-13 |title=Murphy could emerge as new face of Sinn Fein |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/murphy-could-emerge-as-new-face-of-sinn-fein/30740253.html |access-date=2024-02-04 |work=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}

Murphy attended St Colman's College in Newry, County Down.{{Cite news |date=2018-03-23 |title=Paedophile priest Finnegan beat and tried to groom me, says Sinn Fein's Murphy as he calls for answers for cleric's victims |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/paedophile-priest-finnegan-beat-and-tried-to-groom-me-says-sinn-feins-murphy-as-he-calls-for-answers-for-clerics-victims/36734438.html |access-date=2024-02-04 |work=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}