Several TDs, Senators willing to back Dana - spokesman

A number of Oireachtas members are willing to back Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon in her bid to seek a nomination to stand in the presidential…

A number of Oireachtas members are willing to back Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon in her bid to seek a nomination to stand in the presidential election , a spokesman for the former MEP said today.

Her brother, Mr John Brown, said a number of other Oireachtas members have indicated their willingness to support Ms Scallon but he declined to say how many or identify them.

Ms Scallon needs to secure 20 signatures from members of the Oireachtas supporting her nomination or get four local authorities to support her before October 1st.

Mr Brown said up to 15 county councils would meet before this date and that he was hopeful her nomination requests would be positively received.

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Ms Scallon has asked Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil councillors to abstain in votes on her request for support for a nomination to stand in the presidential election.

Expressing frustration at the failure of several councils to support her nomination, Ms Scallon told ireland.comthe councils had been "gerrymandered by party head offices" and added she was pursuing a presidential candidacy along the lines proscribed within the Constitution.

"Democracy is not telling people how to vote", she added.

David Labanyi

David Labanyi

David Labanyi is the Head of Audience with The Irish Times