Solidarity TD Paul Murphy is calling for independent and public inquiry into the way the 'Jobstown Six' investigation was carried out.

He was among six men acquitted today of falsely imprisoning the former Tánaiste Joan Burton and her adviser Karen O’Connell at a water charge protest in 2014.

Deputy Murphy was the first of the six accused to learn he had been found not guilty on both counts.

The unanimous verdict was met with loud cheers and applause.

The huge crowd descended into silence as his five co-accused were also cleared of the charges - but the room erupted again when the foreperson was finished delivering the verdicts.

Outside court, Deputy Murphy accused Gardaí of lying to try to secure criminal convictions against him and other protesters.

Speaking on Newstalk Drive this evening, Deputy Murphy argued: "I don't think it's really in question that there was a conspiracy. Exactly how high up it goes we don't know - but a conspiracy to fit people up and to stitch them up for false imprisonment because of participating in sit-down protests and slow marches."

He said that the jury was "able to see through that" and find himself and his fellow defendants not guilty.

A demonstration is set to be held in Dublin on Saturday calling for an independent investigation into the handling of the case.

On the subject of an inquiry, Deputy Murphy observed: "I wouldn't trust the guards to investigate it. Perhaps GSOC are the people to do it, although obviously they're badly under-resourced and they get no cooperation from the Gardaí.

"I think the point is it needs to be independent and it needs to be public, so I would say someone from outside An Garda Síochana should be appointed to do it."

Additional reporting by Frank Greaney