Norris hires expert for Áras race

PRESIDENTIAL hopeful David Norris has hired a communications expert who helped get Kathy Sinnot elected to the Dáil and Sean Kelly elected an MEP to help him win the race to the Áras.

David McCarthy of McCarthy Consulting, a Cork-based communications company, has been appointed the regional director of the David Norris for President Campaign.

While nominations for the presidency don’t close until November 2011, McCarthy said Norris will hit the campaign trail early next year.

“We felt we had to start early, because it’s harder for an independent to get a nomination, but certainly not impossible,” he said.

“Also the Senator doesn’t have a constituency as such, as he was elected to the Seanad through his university background. For him to get on the ballot, he will need to get backed by 20 Oireachtas members or four county councils. We will examine which of these routes to take further down the line.

“My position will be to build his campaign and to pick out strategic regions to target.”