Big irony too about the democracy brigade is, name me one election or position David Norris ever got through the democratic will of the people??? As I said I will gladly vote for him should he get in but the rubbish being bandied about by know it nothings is truly frustrating!

Regardless of whether I’d ‘support’ Norris or not, as soon as I heard on the radio last week that this glib tongued mouthpiece was considering giving him a nomination I knew without any doubt how it would play out. The same pathetic and predictable old Fianna Fail.

Look at the air time this eejit McGrath is after getting over the past while as a result of this issue! It sounds like he went to the Healy-Rea school of politics. He has known from the outset that he was not going to give Norris his vote.

At least there was transparency in how McGrath went about things, which should be fully acknowledged. In contrast, the big ‘democratic’ parties have simply ruled out extending the democratic franchise to non-party candidates without any further ado. I don’t agree that an anti-Norris position is equivalent to an anti-homosexual position. Norris made a terrible error of judgement in seeking clemency for his ex-partner, and it would be at odds with common sense, let alone common decency, if his actions didn’t raise questions. Nevertheless, the nomination procedure is so flawed, elitist and reliant upon perpetuating consensus, that any and every opportunity to expand the number of candidates should be embraced and let the broad electorate make up its mind – precisely what the big consensus parties don’t want. My prediction is that if Norris doesn’t appear on the ballot paper, there will be a backlash against the smug self-certainty of FG and Labour which will favour SF.

Good man mattie , you absolute ( just can’t write what I want as it will be pulled) will he go to his people every time he has to make a decision, sign the paper and let the country decide if norris should be president, not 40 or so homophobic bigots.

While I would give Norris my number 2 vote if he gets in, I can’t understand people who don’t respect Matties wishes! Calling him a homophobe just because he disagrees with a man who has a different sexual preference is amateur, childish and pathetic! Sometimes I wonder are Norris supporters any better than McGuinness’s, yes they may use fear and intimidation in a different way but it’s still used to try get their way! Doesn’t change the point that Mattie is a big egjit who loves the limelight but, Norris supporters, not everyone is going to agree with you and Norris, stop using a difference of opinion as some wort of metaphorical violin and grow up!

I really wasn’t expecting a positive outcome from this man!! He will do anything to grab a bit of attention and he succeeded in doing that over the weekend. He is a joke of a man.

Lovely, the immature homophobic accusers are out again today. if you don’t llke Norris, then you are not homophobic, you just don’t like him…. some prople honestly have no wit.

If people want to know why our elected representatives (and the public in general) are turning their back on Norris, then they should start on this website. According to the lame-brain Norris fanboys anyone who won’t support Norris is “homophobic”. Yes, according to them, it has nothing to do with Norris’s poor judgement, his blurring the lines between child abuse, pederasty and homosexuality. It has nothing to do with the fact that Norris would be an incredibly divisive candidate. It’s all down to “homophobia” according to these people.

I’m still waiting to hear why these intellectual giants think that many prominent people in the gay community have shunned Norris’s campaign from the start. Could it be (and say it slowly so that everyone can keep up) that Norris is just a very poor candidate and someone who has proven themselves to be unfit for the highest office in the state?

Think McGrath was right he dosent have to endorse anyone if he dosent want too… Not to many on here giving out about TD’s or senators not endorsing Mary Davis or Sean Gallagher. To me David Norris is a career politician one who in all his years in the Senad done nothing to reform it from the aloof self serving chamber than it is. He and his supporters shout about democracy in action but when did Norris ever do anything to change the selection procedure for the Senad??? Never because he was quite comfortable with the majority of the people not having a day in who does or doesnt join this special club… As for the redneck comment above that’s really the attitude that Norris and his followers have shown to Rural Ireland for years… So much for being president for "all the people of Ireland"

“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”
– Winston Churchill –

This quote is as apt today as any. And in this instance it extends to a particular variant of Irish Politician aswell. Ireland; Advanced Liberal Western Democracy, Ah I think Not.

by the logic of norris supporters ‘anyone who doesnt vote for him is homophobic,’ does that mean that anyone who doesn’t vote for obama is racist? or for dana is sexist? this ‘election is turning into a farce, a very expensive farce for the taxpayer. put an end to it and ask mary mc aleese to stayon for another 4 yrs or untill the country can afford an election, at least we know she still has some respect in the political world.

By the same token, any sign of the other six letters that were mentioned on the times yesterday… what was in them, and is it true that netenyahu received one…???

What is really concerning is Mr. Graths two fingers to our democratic system. He seems to lack a basic understanding of the principles of our Dail.

Firstly, he was elected by the constituency of Tipperary as their representative to the Dail. Once there he is a national representative and acts for everyone in the decision making process i.e. me as well. This means he has to look at the bigger picture and what is in the national interest. Surely he must be aware of the considerable public interest and support for the Independent candidates that have not got a nomination?

He refers to his supporters which seemed to have numbered 70 at the meeting. If was being democratic he should have canvassed the entire constituency or at least all of the 14.7% of voters who gave him a first preference – over 6,000 people. Hardly a democratic consultation.

How Mr. McGrath can say is being democratic is beyond me. He clearly doesn’t understand the principle. Also, I would also expect an independent to take some decisions that may not be popular.

Also why does he have to consult his supporters for decisions like this? He certainly didn’t consult his supporters when he was making stupid badly informed comments about drink driving (drinking can help some drivers).

I think Davis and Gallagher have both gone the County Council route rather than seeking the 20 signatures so hence there’s no debate there.

Seanad is part of our democracy and is need of reform. I don’t think it’s aloof or self serving, some members are appointed from various walks of life while others, such as Norris, are elected by the university panels. The university electorate is rather large. There was no real call to change the Seanad procedure until Kenny put it on the agenda one day. He doesn’t seem to be rushing to follow through on this one.

I’m not sure what the reference to red necks is but it would appear that Norris support is nationwide. Nearly all the candidates are urban based.

10 years in the senate and all Norris can do is turn the contest into a gay rights competition. Patethic

I’m sure the people of Tipperary are very proud of their elected representative.

David Norris has the right to be judged on his whole career. He has worked over the past decades to ensure everyone in society is treated as an equal, regardless of race, creed or sexuality. His humanitarian efforts are well known. He is unbiased and unprejudiced.

A lady on here commented earlier that she has two gay friends who will not be voting for Norris because “he endorsed rape”. I would challenge those two gay people to reflect on the changes in Irish society over the past five decades. Despite constant homophobic remarks, slurs on his character, the never-ending rebuke of the Roman Catholic church, David Norris was the leading figure in ensuring equal rights for gay men and women in Ireland. Remember it’s only a couple of decades ago since homosexuality was legalised in this country. Somehow it reminds me of Charles Stewart Parnell – didn’t the Irish people turn his back on him, so-much-so that he was driven to an early grave? Oh, and before anyone rebukes me by saying divorce and sex with a minor are entirely different things – I agree, they are! I’m simply making an allegory.

David Norris would also make a fine figure-head since he is a world renowned scholar and classicist, decorous, refined and capable of speaking the English language correctly. These qualities are lacking in the other candidates, with the notable exception of Michael D. Higgins.

Norris should be allowed to partake in the election and let the whole country decide not the elite few.
I think that Hitler would be elected right now – when you see Mc Guinness and compare the decisions he made in the past about peoples lives, you must think Hitler would get elected 1st count.

The right thing !

Fair play Mattie don’t let yourself be bullied by these left wing twats

The sad thing in all this is that the one politician who was a liberal agitator for gay rights is now shown up as being a mediocre politician and one trick pony. This entire episode will do nothing for Norris’ standing in the long run. In any case, the work he needed to be done has been done. I think his ego got the better of him in the end.