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Seanad
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Presidential nomination reform

Summary

Senator Norris criticises the Government for failing to act on the Constitutional Convention’s recommendation to open presidential nominations to the public.

David P.B. Norris Senator David Norris Independent

A total distraction. The reason for the distraction was that none of the stuff about the Presidency was in the Constitutional Convention's programme. I managed to squeeze on a motion about opening up the Presidency to popular nomination. I was accused of doing it for my own ends, but I have no intention of going for that particular job again. It was an altruistic motion. The people should have a say. The motion went through by 96%, by far the highest percentage of any vote taken by the convention, but what has the Government done about it? Nothing. It produced a farce about the presidential age.

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