It worked fine for all previous elections before now…? There has to be some bar set, if not there could literally be hundreds of candidates.

I agree, but I was referring to the number of those who were floated… will they won’t they?. Dana thinking she has a divine right to know what the Irish people want/ think and articulate it…FF in disarray… A Galway mayor who misreads motions … A SF candidate who parachutes in and goes for the “West Brits” … true to type…leopards and spots come to mind. etc. a farce the Olympia would be proud to put on

Over 40,000 people can potentially vote for someone running for the particular position he holds, he’s one of the few senators who actually has to stand before an electorate…

Ya but only if you go to trinity college. Hardly democratic. The second house has to be reformed. People should have to stand for it and run this election on the same day as the election for TD’s.

I agree it needs to be reformed, but if we take his position as an example it doesn’t make sense to have the representative for Trinity postgraduates to be elected by everyone in the country. It’s comparable to why the country is broken into constituencies, there’s not much sense having someone from Dublin deciding who is best to represent the people of Cork and so on.

I suppose they keep it the way it is so that the governing parties also have the biggest say in the Seanad so stuff can pass quickly…? Or how does that work there?

If you find the senate elections to be undemocratic, I suggest you take it up with Eamonn DeValera’s corpse. He oversaw the drafting of the constitution which laid out the rule by which seanad elections would be carried out, and it’s a bit rich to try and lay the blame for that on the shoulders of David Norris.

Who’s blaming Norris for the way the Seanad works. Think what is been said is that he can’t give out bout one think been undemocratic when he doesn’t get in but happily takes his seat in the Seanad which is seen as undemocratic.
Also if he felt that the way people can be nominated to run for president is unfair why didn’t he do something bout it before this. Senators can propose legislation too.

Norris has been pushing for reform of the senate for years and has been particularly critical of the practice of having 11 senators selected by the taoiseach which he argues “artificially sustain an automatic Government majority in the House”.

Oh wow, that’s interesting. Where did you hear this…? Did he present his case to Fingal or did they nominate him of their own accord?

Any independent verification of this or just rumours?

Well I just saw someone saying it was George Hook on Newstalk, presumably he wouldn’t just thrown something like that out there for the craic?

I presume that the establishment is scared sideways of McGuinness getting in and breaking the golden circle of Irish politics. Running Norris is a good bet. I think at this stage that Norris prob. wont win but his transfers will certainly put MDH over the line.

Gosh you people are ridiculous…..Ireland cares more about a stupid president with no constitutional power, and his’her free ride for 4 yrs than their sovereignty and economy falling. Its incredible for me to watch as a foreigner

I agree with what you said about Finian McGrath – talk about double standards. I’m also surprised and dismayed about how quickly Ming changed his mind from supporting Norris to supporting McGuinness. I hope mind altering substances aren’t to blame. :P

McGrath is really only interested in McGrath so bandwagon jumping should come as no surprise at all

Councils can hold extraordinary meetings if needed!

How is that democratic? They have a right to vote or not vote as they please.

“Senator Jillian van Turnhout told TheJournal.ie this evening she had not been approached by the Norris campaign and that even if she was, she would not nominate him or any other candidate in the race saying she “regretted” that she was not able to use her nomination.”

Poor Jillian can’t use her nomination? Why on earth not? Is she under orders from Eamon Gilmore or something?

RTÉ are listing Sen Séan Barret as one of Norris’s 10, while RBB TD is listed here. So does this bring Norris to 11 then? As for Seamus Healy I’d imagine as one of the ULA TD’s he’ll also be persuaded so that’ll make 12. Fiach Mac Conghail and Katherine Zappone could provide 13 and 14, but I’m not so sure about the rest. Maybe John Halligan and Shane Ross as well.

I’d say Norris will get the nomination, but it’ll be a close run thing. He’s got Fingal though, so I assume if he managed to get the other three Dublin councils he’d be there!

No. It’s one or the other.

Oops – sorry, dead link. This works. http://www.hotpress.com/David-Norris/news/Song-for-Norris/8318877.html?new_layout=1

do you have to troll every thread that has a Norris reference ?

Obvious troll is obvious.

Seriously though: You are the worst troll in the history of trolling. It’s hilarious :)

A) You comment on EVERY article on Norris. Everyone knows what you’re at. It’s just silly now.

B) Always negative yet blunt. If you were able to do it right you’d know you need to say something of substance. You know, make a point. That will really irate people.

C) I don’t think I’ve ever seen you reply to a response. If you can’t keep the shit stirring, you’re doing it wrong.

Also, I recognise the language you use in your comments. You’re the same bloke who spammed the original Norris petition article here.

You pose yourself as a girl but chances are you’ve never been near a vagina.

Louise is right!

That’s more like it! Well done. Learning fast. I’m really impressed. I’m going to give you a green thumb just for that last line.

Read the constitution – no they cannot nominate more than one individual; neither can county or city councils.

No the returning officer will disallow any further nominations after 1st one received.

I think Hugh has said on another comments page that they can’t.

Brian,

My understanding is that you can only nominate one candidate as per Article 12.4.3 of the Constitution

“No person and no such Council shall be entitled to subscribe to the nomination of more than one candidate in respect of the same election”

They cannot.