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Dana Rosemary Scallon and David Norris (File photos) Press Association Images

Norris and Dana's presidential hopes boosted as councils to meet next week

Both now appear likely to receive enough support from local authorities to ensure they get on the ballot paper when nominations close next Wednesday.

INDEPENDENT PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS David Norris and Dana Rosemary Scallon have been boosted by news today that at least 12 councils are to meet next week to discuss nominating them as candidates for the election next month.

With nominations closing on Wednesday at noon, the race is on for the pair to secure a place on the ballot paper via support from at least four local authorities, as is required by law.

So far, at least a dozen local authorities have confirmed they will meet next week to consider Norris and Scallon’s nominations.

There are now strong indications that both candidates will secure enough support to be on the ballot paper alongside the five candidates who have already been nominated.

Norris’s hopes of being on the ballot with the support of 20 members of the Oireachtas appeared to have faded yesterday as he secured 17 signatures but a number of TDs and senators ruled themselves out of nominating him.

Only independent TDs Shane Ross and Mattie McGrath must decide if they will nominate him but there were suggestions today that Tipperary North TD Michael Lowry may consider nominating Norris if he gets to 19 signatures.

His office could not be reached for comment this evening.

Councils

On Monday, Laois County Council will meet at 11am to discuss motions to nominate either Norris or Scallon. In Carlow, the county council will meet at 12.30pm and will also debate motions to nominate either Norris or Scallon.

In Roscommon, the county council will meet at 2.15pm to debate motions to nominate either Norris or Scallon. That evening, South Dublin County Council will meet at 5.15pm to debate a cross-party motion to nominate Norris.

It will be a busy day on Tuesday with a total of seven local authorities set to meet.

Donegal County Council will meet at 10am to debate a Fianna Fail-proposed motion to nominate Scallon. Cork County Council will meet at 11am to consider a motion to nominate Norris.

At lunchtime, Waterford City Council is to meet to debate motions to nominate either Norris or Scallon.

Longford County Council is to meet at 4pm to debate a motion to nominate Scallon. Westmeath County Council will also meet on Tuesday to debate a motion to nominate Scallon.

On Tuesday evening, Dublin City Council will meet just before 7pm to discuss a motion to nominate Norris while at 7pm Cavan County Council will debate a Fianna Fáil-proposed motion to nominate Scallon.

Finally, on Wednesday morning, Kilkenny County Council is to meet at 8.30am to debate motions to nominate either Norris or Scallon.

The deadline for nominations to be delivered to the returning officer is 12 noon that day.

Election rules indicate that a nomination paper must be delivered by the candidate or one or more of the persons making the nomination or in the case of a City or County Council by an official of the council.

Read: Senator says requests for Norris support ‘feel like harassment’

In full: Read all TheJournal.ie’s Race for the Áras coverage >

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19 Comments
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    Mute Dave Collins
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    Jun 18th 2020, 1:17 PM

    RIP, she did a lot of good work as Irish ambassador I seem to remember..

    414
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    Mute Joby Redmond
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    Jun 18th 2020, 2:17 PM

    Lovely woman who loved Ireland. She pushed and got visa restrictions for Irish people lifted. And she appears in the film Micheal Collins. RIP Jean.

    222
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    Mute Declan Leonard
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    Jun 18th 2020, 2:18 PM

    A wonderful woman by all accounts. My father used to drive her about when she was here.

    181
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    Mute Joan Doyle
    Favourite Joan Doyle
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    Jun 18th 2020, 2:32 PM

    What an an amazing group of siblings

    147
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    Mute Wheresmyjumper
    Favourite Wheresmyjumper
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    Jun 18th 2020, 5:20 PM

    @Joan Doyle: ya especially Ted

    18
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    Mute Wheresmyjumper
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    Jun 18th 2020, 6:26 PM

    @Wheresmyjumper: well other than that girl he left for dead

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    Mute James Walsh
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    Jun 18th 2020, 6:50 PM

    @Wheresmyjumper: Give it up ya gobsh!te, the Kennedys have always been friends of Ireland and take pride in their Irish heritage.

    27
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    Mute Wheresmyjumper
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    Jun 18th 2020, 7:03 PM

    @James Walsh: so if someone takes pride in their Irish Heritage, they can drive a car drunk into the sea, leave a woman in car, take a boat to another town, hide for a night and then call for help? Good to know

    8
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    Mute Cowboy Paddy
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    Jun 18th 2020, 7:45 PM

    @Wheresmyjumper:
    No… But bringing up her brother’s bad choice over 50 years ago during the announcement of her death takes a special kind of thinking…

    You could talk about all the wonderful things her family did

    22
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    Mute Wheresmyjumper
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    Jun 18th 2020, 8:16 PM

    @Cowboy Paddy: i didn’t bring him up another poster did, he got away lightly, more than just a bad choice his family connections got him off murder

    4
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    Mute Cowboy Paddy
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    Jun 18th 2020, 11:52 PM

    @Wheresmyjumper:
    Have you any proof of murder?

    If you do why do with hold it from the Police all this time?

    3
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    Mute Teresa Ryan
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    Jun 19th 2020, 5:41 PM

    @James Walsh: He still left a woman to drown. There’s no getting away from that.

    1
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    Mute James Walsh
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    Jun 19th 2020, 9:05 PM

    @Teresa Ryan: I was talking about the Kennedy family in general, and not Ted in particular.

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    Mute Garreth Byrne
    Favourite Garreth Byrne
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    Jun 18th 2020, 2:49 PM

    She was one of the good Kennedys. She served her society well. She was a friend of the old country. R.I.P.

    120
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    Mute tuco
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    Jun 18th 2020, 3:05 PM

    Rip to a great woman.she really held Ireland in her heart.the last bloodline of the famous Kennedy dynasty

    116
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    Mute Emer Caffrey
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    Jun 18th 2020, 3:32 PM

    Ah, such a lovely woman, rest in peace

    89
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    Mute Sylvia O'Regan
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    Jun 18th 2020, 2:20 PM

    She had an interesting life. RIP.

    That being said, I hope that these political dynasties are coming to an end. Power shouldn’t be concentrated.

    46
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    Mute Ben Keohane
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    Jun 18th 2020, 5:15 PM

    @Sylvia O’Regan: not sure about the comment about dynasties. Her whole family were devoted to politics.

    36
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    Mute John Caplis
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    Jun 18th 2020, 7:31 PM

    @Ben Keohane: And unfortunately they paid dearly for it. Both Jack and Bobby Kennedy helped to save the world from nuclear war during the Cuban Missiles Crisis. I wonder how the current president would have handled it?

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    Mute Cowboy Paddy
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    Jun 18th 2020, 7:38 PM

    @Sylvia O’Regan:
    Actually Jean was not a politician and never ran in a race in her life.

    She was diplomat and done a great service for Ireland and for that we can be forever thankful. This help to Ireland from the Kennedy’s was in a long line of help her family gave to Ireland .

    12
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    Mute John Waters
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    Jun 18th 2020, 5:42 PM

    A strong lady driven by ambition and the will to help people of all race or religion.Did great work for disabled and disadvantaged children.Has left
    a wonderful legacy like here brothers before her .You have earned your rest
    R.IP.

    33
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    Mute Raymond Power
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    Jun 18th 2020, 5:20 PM

    According to the embassy jfk visited Ireland “fifty five years ago” I’ll just leave that here…

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    Mute Tony Lyons
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    Jun 18th 2020, 5:24 PM

    @Raymond Power: after he died very good

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    Mute Martina Lowe
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    Jun 18th 2020, 5:35 PM

    A great lady I had da pleasure of meeting

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    Mute Martina Lowe
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    Jun 18th 2020, 5:31 PM

    A lovely lady I had da pleasure of meeting her in 1994 in Tullamore was great to have met 1 of da famous Kennedy clan

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    Mute Martina Lowe
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    Jun 18th 2020, 5:34 PM

    A lovely lady I had da pleasure of meeting her in 1994 in Tullamore was great to have met 1 of da famous Kennedy clan

    1
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