Kelly welcomes Mairia Cahill to Labour Party

Issued : Sunday 4 October, 2015

 

I am delighted that Mairia Cahill has taken up an invitation to join the Labour Party and to seek nomination to contest the upcoming bye-election to Seanad Eireann.

I am proud to support her candidacy and am formally seconding her nomination following Party Leader Joan Burton's proposal.

Mairia is a qualified candidate for the Industrial and Commercial Panel given her background in community development, employment, and activation.

But she is much more than that. She is also a spokesperson for victims of abuse and will use the platform of the Seanad to continue to campaign for justice and to encourage others to come forward.

Mairia displayed immense courage and perseverance over the last year. First she had the bravery to waive anonymity and tell her story in public of abuse by a leading member of the IRA and how she had justice denied.

Second, she withstood denials of culpability from leading members of the IRA and Sinn Fein and a campaign to discredit her in the media, online, and on the streets.

I was honoured to present her with the James Larkin Thirst for Justice Award at the Labour Party conference in Killarney earlier this year. I have remained in contact with Mairia ever since, and am delighted that she has taken up my invitation to join our party and seek election to the Seanad.