Danielle McLaughlin’s mother says Victims’ Charter is a ‘step in the right direction’

Andrea Brannigan was speaking after the publication of the charter, in which a section on supports of those whose loved one dies in a crime abroad is included in memory of Danielle.

Danielle, from Buncrana, died in Goa in March 2017.

Andrea said the new charter is welcomed, but also has some omissions she will continue to fight for.

“This is a step in the right direction, as it now means that you are not alone if you become a victim of crime abroad and it also means there is some support offered to the families such as with ADVIC.

“It also means that the embassy will maintain contact to offer advice and support. It never included Irish victims of crime abroad so this is such a positive step for the Irish people who do find themselves needing help while abroad.”

She also welcomed the inclusion in the charter of information on the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trisy, who were an invaluable source of support to Danielle’s family following her death.

Andrea said families will now not have to worry about how they will get a loved one home, ‘but instead they will help get them home as quickly and easy as possible so that the families can grieve without added stress.’

However, she said the charter ‘is still flawed.’

“It still does not offer support with media, such as with our case with so many false news articles being published which added to our heartache. It still does not offer an inquest which would be so beneficial to many families of victims abroad.”

Andrea has called for a liaison officer to be appointed to families so that’ instead of easy updates or finding out information from news reports etc we will have someone come to our house or contact us to give us updates which would mean that false information isn’t believed as easy.’

She told how they did believe news articles printed at the time, ‘until months later, when we were told differently, which added more sadness for us.’

The appointment of a liaison officer is not included in the charter.

“Even the support-Advic- they are in Dublin, which means people in Donegal, or in other parts of Ireland won’t be readily accessible to get to Dublin for the counselling or support that is needed. “There should be support made available in more than just Dublin. These are just a few of the things that we also wanted included to make a bigger impact in the lives of the families of victims abroad so future families won’t have to go through have the suffering and turmoil we had to endure.”

But Andrea said she is ‘proud that Danielle’s memory will help others.’

“I know Danielle would love knowing that, even now, she is helping people in such a major way. It is bittersweet that (the charter was published on the anniversary of) the day that she did set off to India for the last time and that it was the last day we said our goodbyes.

“It is such a hard time for my family, as we just wish she would walk in the door and surprise us like she did before. It feels so surreal that we will never hear her voice or see her smile again. It doesn’t feel like three years at all, it’s a terrifying realisation that we have lost her and it’s that long since we had her with us.

“Her sisters miss her so much, but we still talk about her as if she is here. We tell stories of her that we remember - even the bad ones of her like her huffing when she couldn’t wakeboard and was annoyed her little sister was so much better. We still laugh over our memories and try to make sure it’s still positive and not all negative over what happened to her. We keep her memory alive as much as we can even though some days it’s so much harder than others.”