Galway City Councillors snub Norris

Date Published: 11-Jul-2011

By Bernie Ní Fhlatharta

A request from Senator David Norris to address Galway City Council as part of his presidential campaign was shot down last night.

The Senator had asked if he could address the Council at their next meeting in September – the Mayor of Galway, Cllr Hildegarde Naughton used her casting vote against him coming to the meeting after the vote was tied at 7/7, with one abstention.

His request was raised by the Mayor herself, who said Senator Norris had emailed her office and it was suggested that both the Senator and another Presidential hopeful, Mary Davis, both address the September meeting.

Ms Davis had been earmarked to address the Galway councillors last night but instead sent two representatives, including her campaign manager, in her place to allow her address Limerick City Council last evening instead.

A request that each of the two representatives be allowed address the Galway Council last night was refused on the basis that many had expected to hear and meet Ms Davis herself. It was then agreed (on a 10-5 vote) to invite her to the September meeting.

Before Dermot Mulqueen, another presidential candidate from Co Clare, did address the councillors last evening, Cllr Michael Crowe said Fianna Fáil would not be supporting Senator Norris’s request to be heard in the Council chamber.Then Cllr Pádraig Conneely (FG)said he too would be opposing Senator Norris addressing Galway councillors.

Cllr Colette Connolly (Lab) then proposed that Senator David Norris be invited to attend the September meeting on the basis that it was democratic to do so.

Cllr Catherine Connolly (Ind), in seconding the motion, said she was shocked that people had already made up their minds before hearing what the Senator had to say.

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel

See also – Galway Mayor seeks reversal of decision