Norris bid hangs on nomination knife edge

DAVID NORRIS faces an anxious wait in his bid to secure a presidential nomination after one local authority voted against him and another may not even vote on the matter.

He failed to get the support of South Dublin County Council after Fine Gael TDs blocked his nomination, while he is struggling to drum up support on Cork County Council.

Today will be a crucial day for Mr Norris and fellow hopeful Dana Rosemary Scallon as councils across the country vote on whether to support them.

As the race enters a crucial day, five councils will vote on whether they should back Ms Scallon who like Mr Norris needs the support of two more local authorities to reach the four required for a nomination before tomorrow’s deadline.

Ms Scallon yesterday secured the backing of Carlow and Roscommon county councils while Mr Norris got the support of Fingal and Laois county councils.

But he suffered a major setback with an unexpected defeat at South Dublin County Council which decided by 12 votes to 11 against supporting him. Six Fine Gael councillors voted against and two abstained.

Two Sinn Féin councillors voted against with one abstention and four Labour voted against with five in favour. Four Fianna Fáil councillors, an Independent and one from People Before Profit were in favour.

And, despite expectations that the party’s councillors would abstain, they will also be given a free vote at today’s meeting of Cork County Council which is one of three local authorities deciding today on whether to back the Trinity senator.

But the matter may not even come to a vote in Cork where last night he had failed to get a council member to second the nomination motion. Fine Gael councillors, who make up 23 of the 48 Cork County Council seats have a free vote, as have seven Labour councillors. Fianna Fáil, with 10 seats, last night said it may abstain.

However, Mr Norris’s chances appeared on knife edge last night with many councillors saying they did not expect the motion to pass. If the motion is not seconded before they gather at 11am the vote will be called off.

Mr Norris’s hopes are greater in Dublin City Council. The 12 Fine Gael TDs are expected to abstain meaning he is likely to secure the nomination with the help of Labour which dominates the council.