I won’t get to face my girl’s alleged killer in court..there’s no help
Danielle’s mum raps Leo over murder trial costs
She went to school here & paid tax here, now she’s been disowned
ANDREA BRANNIGAN YESTERDAY
THE heartbroken mother of Danielle Mclaughlin has told how she won’t get to face down her daughter’s alleged killer in court.
Andrea Brannigan says she can’t afford to travel to any of the trial hearings in India because of the legal costs she has incurred. Danielle, 28, was backpacking in Goa last year when her life was brutally cut short. The Co Donegal woman was raped and attacked with a glass bottle before being strangled on March 13 during the Holi Festival. Her body was found the following day in a field close to a popular tourist spot. And Andrea has revealed she will meet Leo Varadkar on Tuesday and plead for support for families in a similar position. Earlier this week the Taoiseach refused to meet Andrea saying because her daughter was not an Irish citizen there was nothing the Government could do.
GRIEVE
A statement from the Taoiseach’s department said a meeting was “probably not worthwhile”.
He later backtracked and said confusion about Danielle’s case arose because of her dual citizenship.
A distraught Andrea told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “I don’t consider that to be any sort of apology. I want a proper apology.
“I would like a meeting to discuss more support for families who have lost somebody abroad, regardless of how they died.
“We had to pay for everything ourselves, all the legal costs. I had to get a lawyer.
“I’ve met lots of people who have had the similar issues and it’s been the same, they have no support.
“We can’t grieve because we’re always organising fundraisers to cover costs. We haven’t been able to grieve for her.
“We have a trial every few weeks and we have to fund the legal costs ourselves. It is so slow I want to ask the Government to try and fast-track it.
“I don’t think me or anybody else should be left in this situation, there is basically no help for us.
“She went to school here, she worked here and she paid her taxes here. Now the Government has disowned her.”
Vikat Bhagat, 24, is on trial for the rape and murder of Danielle, born in Glasgow, and robbery and destruction of evidence.
THE death of Danielle Mclaughlin in such horrific circumstances has been a nightmare her family will never wake up from.
The 28-year-old was backpacking around India when she was attacked with a glass bottle, raped and then strangled to death.
Confusion over her dual citizenship has heaped more misery on to her grief-stricken mother and five younger sisters.
Danielle was born in Glasgow but moved to Donegal when she was a baby, and was travelling on a British passport.
But it seems the red tape bungles continue to haunt her family as her mother’s request for support from the Irish Government fell on deaf ears earlier this week.
The Taoiseach’s office said a meeting was “probably not worthwhile” as Danielle was not an Irish citizen.
He later backtracked and issued a statement saying confusion about Danielle’s case arose because of her dual citizenship.
Andrea has now demanded a meeting with Leo Varadkar and that will happen on Tuesday when she will seek an apology for the blunder – and help for other families who find themselves in the same situation.
If he has any sense, or sensitivity, he will eat a gigantic slice of humble pie and promise to do whatever he can to support the family.
It’s the least we can do for a family bowed under the weight of such unimaginable grief.