Independent Senator David Norris has secured the support of another member of the Oireachtas in his bid to get a nomination to contest the presidential election.
Senators Mary Ann O'Brien and Eamonn Coghlan signed Mr Norris's papers today, bringing his support within the Oireachtas to 17 TDs and Senators, including himself. He needs 20 to secure a nomination.
Mr Coghlan, a former Olympic athlete, was appointed to the Seanad by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
Donegal South West TD Thomas Pringle said today he would not be supporting Mr Norris.
The Independent deputy was one of those who withdrew their support from Mr Norris' original bid when it emerged the Senator wrote a letter of clemency to an Israeli court on behalf of his former partner Ezra Nawi in 1997. Mr Nawi was convicted of the statutory rape of a 15- year-old boy and spent one month in prison.
Mr Pringle said the reasons he withdrew his support from Mr Norris at the beginning of August still stood.
Waterford Independent TD John Halligan and Senator Marie Louise O’Donnell were among those to back Mr Norris yesterday.
Mr Halligan, who withdrew support from Mr Norris in July, said he was encouraged to back him again by constituents. "I did feel in hindsight that he deserves another chance," he said.
Ms O'Donnell, a Taoiseach's Seanad nominee, was persuaded to support Mr Norris after meeting him yesterday, although she said she would not campaign for him.
Mr Norris’s papers were also signed by Senators Fiach Mac Conghail and Katherine Zappone yesterday. He already has the support of Fingal County Council.
Other TDs who have committed to Mr Norris are four members of the United Left Alliance: Joe Higgins, Clare Daly, Richard Boyd Barrett and Joan Collins, along with Catherine Murphy, Maureen O’Sullivan, Stephen Donnelly and Mick Wallace. From the Seanad, Mr Norris can also rely on NUI Senator John Crown and Seán Barrett from Trinity College, as well as his own vote.
Tipperary North Independent TD Michael Lowry said today he spoke to Mr Norris during the week about his support. However, he said he had not agreed to back him or any other candidate.
Independent TD for Tipperary, Séamus Healy, this evening confirmed he would not support any candidate in the election.
Mr Healy said he had hoped that a candidate would use the election as an opportunity to challenge austerity and the EU-IMF deal.
"As no such candidate is seeking election, I have decided that I will not nominate or support any candidate", he said in a statement.
Dana Rosemary Scallon is also attempting to persuade councils to back her, and councillors across the State will meet in the coming days to vote on the last-minute requests for support. Longford County Council agreed today to back her.
The names already on the ballot paper for the October 27th poll are the Fine Gael candidate Gay Mitchell; Labour’s Michael D Higgins; Martin McGuinness of Sinn Féin and Independents Mary Davis and Seán Gallagher.
Speaking to reporters at the National Ploughing Championships, Mr Kenny said Fine Gael councillors around the country would not be receiving any further instructions from him on how to vote and would be abstaining in any vote.
He described Mr Mitchell as the best qualified candidate for the job. "I want to assure you that the full support of the entire Fine Gael party and its support groups will swing in behind Gay Mitchell in an effort to get him to every part of the country and to meet as many people as he can to set out his credentials and his views," he said.
Presidential candidates require the support of 20 Oireachtas members or the backing of four county councils to secure a nomination. The deadline for nominations is next Wednesday.
Kilkenny, Carlow and Roscommon County Councils to meet to consider the nominations of both Mr Norris and Ms Scallon. Laois County Council will consider Mr Norris's request at its meeting on Monday, with South Dublin County Council expected to consider a proposal from him on Monday evening. Longford County Council is to meet next Tuesday.