It’s been mentioned in the run up to previous elections but today I think is the first time Senator David Norris has seriously thrown his hat in the ring for nomination to contest the Presidency (Election to take place next year).
In today’s Sunday Tribune Norris admits he is interested. There is a facebook group and petitions underway already.
“The pressure has come from people. And it’s pretty consistent, and, of course, I feel obliged to say yes of course, I would consider it and it would be a huge honour,” Norris said.
“I’m an ideas man. And I’ve contributed ideas. I mean the Metro, for example, was my idea, for the last 25 years. And I skillfully steered it through. And it looks as if even in the recession we might get it.
“All this Joyce stuff, Bloomsday and all this, that was my brainwave 30 or 40 years ago,and look where it’s gone.”
Norris does not want to run for Dublin Mayor as he does not feel he has the correct set of talents for the job.
In order to receive a nomination for the Presidency he must receive the support of 20 members of the Oireachtas or 4 County Councils.
Brian Crowley MEP is touted as being in line for the Fianna Fáil nomination. No news on Fine Gael. Norris said that he would have difficulty running not only because securing the votes of enough parliamentarians but there is also the Michael D. Higgins factor – Michael D. is someone that Norris much admires. No word on whether Michael D. is interested in running though.
Cue the campaign for the 3rd Mary. (Thanks to Junior Larkin for that particular inspiration 
)
By the way Ivan Yates is listed in the Paddy Power odds for the Presidency as 33/1 – the same odds as David Norris. Not sure if anyone has asked Ivan if he is interested in running – see previous post on my reaction?
As much as I like Norris, Ireland doesn’t need a president. It’s a poor mans attempt at an Irish monarchy and has no beneficial function. The position should just be abandoned after Mary Mankycheese finishes up.
Part of me feels the same way as previous poster. The office has been de-fanged since Robinson. Basically no one’s been able to follow that act, and I don’t think anyone will. Norris not withstanding, Robinson had a vision and the team behind her to make the most and stretch the powers of the office. We’re not going to see her like anytime any soon, no disresoect to David Norris.
Heaven save us from a Norris presidency. Go back 20 years ago and he was a leading light in the campaign for gay rights and human rights in general. However in more recent years the man has transformed into an elitest (look at his demands for the council to erect gates on his road and his more recent campaign that the GPO be handed over to the elitest abbey theater) and has the largest ego in Irish politics.
All that from getting just a few hundred votes from Trinity graduates! Don’t forget that vested interests like Norris have made sure graduates of UL, DCU, DIT etc are denied their constitutional right to vote in these elections. I refuse to refer to Norris and the others holding on to the University Senate seats as Senator until they allow all graduates to vote in the election as enacted by constitutional referendum 30 years ago.
Imagine what his ego would be like if elected president.
And in case anyone thinks I’m only picking on Norris I would not like to see any of the other favourites. Yeats is already claiming quite enough taxpayer money in TD and Ministeral pensions (even though he owns a multi million bookmaker business and is anchor on a flagship breakfast show of his old mate’s radio station). He doestn’t need a presidential salary and pension on top of all that. It never ceases me how Crowley tops the poll every 5 years. He is invisible for 4.5 years and then pops up with his cheesy smile, mullet and sympathy vote grabbing wheelchair. He does nothing as an MEP and should not be rewarded for that inactivity. Higgins is Norris light with the same pension entitlements as Yeats.
The time of the D4-Abbeyist-Joycean-Poet-elitest President has passed with the Celtic tiger. We need a president who represents the ordinary people of this country and can champion their case. Millionaire business men, TD poets, undemocratic senators, invisible MEPs are not champions of the ordinary man.
The incumbent of this office is deeply disappointing – and she must be bored out of her tree as FF has completely neutered the role of the President. I did hear on the radio recently how a representative from a community group had managed to get a presidential visit for 15 mins at some ungodly hour, and the rep remarked how very busy the President was, but I do fail to see any of this in the same way that ex-President Robinson ran the office.
As to who succeeds Mrs McAleese, rather than seeking someone with a name to run for office, you do need someone who has the vision to reinvent the Presidency for the 21st century … of course Mary Robinson could actually run again on her own nomination. My thinking would be someone who actually understands what an Irish President can do with the position, i.e. a good legal mind and communication skills rather than someone with a political background per se.
But please let’s not descend into awful nomination territory such as leading journalists, celebs, sports stars, ex-boy band singers, failed politicians, former/ failed taoisigh, etc. As another commentator mentioned above, the Celtic Tiger is now dead and being used as cat food by Albert’s pet food plant, so new thinking please!
Point of Fact: Norris told the Sunday Mirror last November or so that he would run for President if he got the backing to do so.
I would.
But wondering if he would do better to change image and start doing weights? There seems to be a preference for a (muscle) Mary in the job?
xx
But sure Hammie he’s taking part in operation transformation!
I have to laugh at the dramatic language used by the Americans
“A major effort is underway”
“A group of influential liberal supporters have now begun circulating a petition and forming a Facebook site for Norris to run for president
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Ireland-could-elect-first-openly-gay-president-84925402.html?commentspage=1