Career
His term of office began November 1, 1994 and ended in 2003. Murphy served as a civil servant in the Department of Industry and Commerce, in the Department of Finance, and joined the Department of the Public Service in 1973. He became Secretary-General of the latter in 1983.
In 1987, he was appointed Secretary-General, Public Service Management and Development at the Department of Finance.
He was appointed Ombudsman in November 1994. where he dealt with complaints against government departments, local authorities, and other public bodies. Under the terms of the Freedom of Information Acting, 1997, he also held the newly created office of Information Commissioner from April 1998.
The Information Commissioner may review decisions of public bodies in relation to requests for access to information. In June 2003, Emily O"Reilly succeeded him in both posts.