Stardust survivors’ campaigner Antoinette Keegan has pulled out of the general election and distanced herself from the far-right National Party.
She announced her intention to enter the race this week in Dublin Fingal East as a National Party candidate. The National Party has a hard-line anti-immigration platform.
However, in a statement on Thursday she said she was withdrawing from the election and said her principles are “incompatible” with the party. She said she had announced her intention to run “with an exclusive focus on being a voice for those who need it most.”
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Ms Keegan’s sisters Mary and Martina died in the horrific 1981 Stardust fire when 48 people lost their lives.
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On Thursday Ms Keegan said that she sought justice for her sisters for decades and the campaign by her and her late mother had always been based on “human rights and equality”.
She said that in recent days she was approached by the National Party who offered her support to run in the election and she accepted the proposal.
Ms Keegan said: “upon reflection, this was an error of judgment.”
She said that after advice from her friend, and Stardust families solicitor Darragh Mackin “I have realised that in hindsight, the principles I have long prided myself in are incompatible with the political party to which I had been nominated.”
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Ms Keegan also said: “I pride myself in being a daughter, sister, mother and grandmother who fearlessly speaks truth to power in seeking equality for the most vulnerable in society.
“I cannot put my name to a party whose views do not align with my own.”
She added: “Through this mistake, I have learned a valuable lesson that my time is best spent supporting those who have supported me and the other Stardust families over the years, as opposed to running myself.”
Ms Keegan added: “I apologise for my mistake and call upon all of my community who kindly supported me regardless of politics, to accept my withdrawal of running in the general election.”
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