Senator Helen Keogh was an active member of the Women's Political Association before becoming a founding member of the Progressive Democrats in 1985.
The first person she canvassed for in an election was the Fine Gael TD in Dun Laoghaire, Ms Monica Barnes, who played a major part in her decision to join Fine Gael last night. Ms Barnes first asked Ms Keogh to join Fine Gael some months ago.
Ms Keogh contested the 1987 general election for the PDs in Dun Laoghaire. On that occasion another party candidate, the journalist Ms Geraldine Kennedy - currently Political Editor of The Irish Times - won the seat. Ms Keogh did not contest the 1989 election but was appointed as a Taoiseach's nominee to the Seanad.
She won a seat in Dun Laoghaire in the 1992 general election but lost out again in 1997 when she was appointed to the Seanad for a second time as a Taoiseach's nominee.
She has been a member of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council since 1991.