Anti Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy says he believes it is "sinister" that Gardaí are stopping his party from fundraising.

Deputy Murphy alleges the Chief Superintendent of the Dublin Metropolitan Region South refused him a permit to carry out street or house to house collections on the grounds that the money will be used to encourage the commission of an unlawful act.

Speaking to The Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk, Mr Murphy said he assumes this relates to his party's opposition to the water charge, and he does not understand how a gard can decide which political party can and can't fund raise.

“I don’t see how a gard can use their discretion to say – ‘no we think this legitimately constituted political party is effectively unlawful'.

“I think it’s sinister that a political party with three TDs (and) 13 or 14 councillors can be stopped fundraising," he said.

The “evidence is adding up” to make a claim of political policing against the Anti Austerity Alliance and other anti-water charge protesters, Mr Murphy said.

“The fact we’re being denied the right as a political party to collect, door to door ... I think it is pointing clearly enough now to political policing,” he said.

Listen below to Paul Murphy TD speaking to The Pat Kenny Show