‘Untrue and malicious’: TD hits out at politicians for ‘spreading rumours’

TD Verona Murphy claims “malicious” and “untrue” rumours are being spread about her by fellow politicians.

Ms Murphy, an Independent TD for Wexford who sits on the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee, said the circulating of rumours “is something that has begun to affect my family and, in particular, my daughter”.

“I just want to say that there is a very malicious, untrue rumour being spread all over the county by other politicians,” Ms Murphy said.

She said it is “something that I have tried very hard to ignore”, but cannot “because I am a public representative – I am in the public sphere”.

The 53-year-old, who was first elected as a TD in 2020 and intends to run in the next general election, said the rumours were being circulated by “elected representatives who feel that they can try and take my good name and credibility”.

Ms Murphy referenced the US Democratic party’s potential presidential nominee and current vice-president, Kamala Harris, saying she can understand what it is like to be in her position.

“I think it is very unfair that I would be attacked and my credibility would be attacked by my fellow politicians in a way that is malicious and politically motivated to damage me,” she said.

“The rumours are completely untrue,” she told Morning Mix with Alan Corcoran on South East Radio.

Ms Murphy said she intends to run in the next general election, “whenever that will be”, and thanked her colleagues in the Wexford Independent Alliance.

“For my family, for my staff and for my representatives, I have tried to rise above it,” she said.

“Since (Dáil) recess, I have met and interviewed young women who are going forward and representing their county and their country, and the level of what they have described as jealousy, within their different sports and sectors, is very, very worrying.

“When people do good and when people build a name and profile for themselves and they are representing people in a way that they have been elected to do so – or succeeded to do so by winning competitions – it is a very sad day when the only way that that can be combated is to spread malicious lies and rumours.”

She said the only way to stop the rumours is to do what she is doing and to invoke legal process.

“Unfortunately, that is the position I am faced with. I know that the people know me and I will be putting my faith in the people and I’m hoping that they will do the same for me on election day,” she said.

“I think it is very unfair that I would be attacked and my credibility would be attacked by my fellow politicians”