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      Norris's first interview: I will stay on as Senator

      In his first full interview since his withdrawal from the presidential campaign, Senator David Norris told Today FM of his future in the Seanad, of “love of his life” Ezra Nawi, his campaign staff and more…

      DAVID NORRIS HAS said he will continue in his role as a Senator. However, he has indicated that he may not stand again at the next election – something he explained by saying he will be 71 if the government runs its full four year term.

      Norris was speaking to Anton Savage on Today FM’s Last Word programme in his first full interview since this afternoon’s announcement that he would not continue campaigning for the Presidency.

      On the reason that he withdrew from the race:

      I felt first of all that support was beginning to drain away from the nomination process, and I’m very much a realist. From an ethical point of view, it’s very unfair to leave people out there hanging for me… if there are comments to be made, it is for me to address them. I could have struggled on, but I believe the situation would have become much nastier.

      On his campaign staff:

      I would like to thank all the members of my team, I was privileged and lucky to have worked with those people… they are not now so proud of me, because they believe that I deliberately concealed this information from them, and for that I would like to say I am extremely extremely sorry.

      On whether the controversy might make it difficult for him to continue serving in the Seanad:

      Time will tell. This Government may last for another four years, by which time I will be 71. Most people retire at 65, but I’m certainly not going to give up now.

      On those who withdrew their support from the campaign

      I have no resentment towards those who withdrew their support. I made mistakes. I think people thought I did it deliberately…

      On suggestions that there was a deliberate vendetta against him

      I don’t think that’s for me to say. I can say I don’t think there is a deliberate hatred of me, but it became clear from reading press that there were a number of commentators who had come to believe that I represented what they called ‘the liberal agenda’ and that if I could be taken out, that agenda could be taken out.

      On the ethics of sending the letter to the Israeli High Court

      If that is a flaw or a fault, it’s certainly not illegal, and it’s not proscribed by the rules of the Oireachtas. If that is a flaw or a fault, then I am guilty not just in this instance, but in many instances, by virtue of the fact that I wrote on headed notepaper… I know for a fact that ten lives were saved by my actions (over the years). I believe that virtually all of my colleagues who have an interest in human rights will acknowledge that they have done the same (writing letters).

      On Ezra Nawi

      I mean in one sense I think he was the love of my life. And you don’t stop loving someone because of their flaws or faults. Not that it excuses what happened, but (through) his work with Palestinians… we were able to build a clinic and put in water for villagers who were living in very primitive conditions.

      On loving a man convicted of statutory rape

      Well, I think without going into all the details… there was a certain level of police duplicity, but that would appear now to be trying to turn the whole thing around and blame the police. I am glad that Ezra never ever changed his plea, because it did mean that that young lad never had to go into court, never had to have his sex life examined… It certainly didn’t improve my view of Ezra. He had deep deep flaws, he would not have been an appropriate person for me to spend the rest of my life with.

      On concealing information from his campaign team

      It never came up. We went back ten years, I thought that was enough. Just to say that if this matter had crossed my mind, which in fact it didn’t – I was in the middle of a very busy campaign, working 20 hours a day – I would have seen this as a desperately sad incident. …I suppose (it was forgotten) partly because of the context, the long period, and perhaps because I compartmentalised it. It simply never arose.

      On the media

      I don’t say I enjoyed that (negative publicity), but I read it at an intellectual level. I think you would be very foolish if you let the views of other people register on an emotional level. The only thing that I regretted was was I read at the lower end of the journalistic scale, the attacks were not of a quality I would appreciate. I would prefer a degree of Swiftean satire, rather than the sort of heavily loaded headlines and smutty suggestions I really felt to be beneath me.

      Listen to David Norris’s full interview with Anton Savage on Today FM’s The Last Word>

      David Norris calls a halt to presidential campaign>

      Read Norris’s full statement here – and hear audio of it>

      Michael D Higgins says previous support for Ezra Nawi was a “human rights issue”>

      In pictures: Norris steps out of the Presidential race>

      Political reaction to Norris’s withdrawal>

      Twitter reacts as Norris ends his campaign>

      Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
      A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

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      17 Comments
        Install the app to use these features.
        Mute Gerry with a J
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 5:49 PM

        Famous faces?

        320
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        Mute Pádraig Ó Raghaill
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 6:40 PM

        Yea I wondered that too.

        Also, the stupid councils put so many town events on today, that most were down on numbers, as they were all competing, for legs on the street. Care factor and communication displayed, zero.

        78
        Install the app to use these features.
        Mute Tweety McTweeter
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 6:49 PM

        Linda Martin and some geezer from Tallaghtfornia, the paparazzi must have been swarming the place

        220
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        Mute Paul Furey
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 6:55 PM

        What’s a tallaghtfornia?

        111
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        Mute Pádraig Ó Raghaill
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 7:01 PM

        Cheers Paul, was just going to ask that

        48
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        Mute Chris Kirk
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 7:06 PM

        The council is great on events and short termism, but haven’t a clue when it comes to inner citty homelessness.

        29
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        Mute Donal O'Brien
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 7:54 PM

        Was that the Tallafornia guy that was caught running his taxi with tractor diesel?

        60
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        Mute David Murphey
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        Jul 24th 2016, 12:49 AM

        Jayzuz, yiz are all very negative. I passed by and the kids seemed to be enjoying it.

        27
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        Mute Uncle Monty
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 5:48 PM

        Thanks for the Linda Martin pictures. I’ll revisit them later when I need to keep the wolf from the door.

        187
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        Mute EmmaQ@gmail.com
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 6:24 PM

        A radio station should not be allowed to shut down a busy city centre street for advertising

        140
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        Mute Alien8
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 6:43 PM

        i wouldn’t mind if it was open to all, but it seems to be only for listeners to one station. a bit unfair to the majority of Dubliners who don’t.

        112
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        Mute John Campbell
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 6:10 PM

        If Linda (“I’m really only sixteen”) Martin and that other unknown are the famous people the rest of us might as well leave town!

        108
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        Mute Vinny Clare
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 6:42 PM

        Should’ve diverted it to the Liffey for some of those “celebrities”
        Honestly I’d do a better job with a roll of polythene on a hill with a garden hose. It looks rubbish

        98
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        Mute John Cusack
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 6:48 PM

        Why don’t you? Put your money where your mouth is.

        26
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        Mute Aural Abuse
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 7:44 PM

        Linda martin, all lubed up, sliding towards the camera with her legs up in the air…. That’s my appetite shot for at least a century.

        88
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        Mute Karl Haycock
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 9:12 PM

        They should have put more vaseline on the lens…

        35
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        Mute WJH
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 7:09 PM

        I pissed in it earlier.

        84
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        Mute Martin Sinnott
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 6:05 PM

        Animal cruelty having Linda Martin on it !

        71
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        Mute Techbuzz Ireland
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 6:03 PM

        Famous. Hmmmmm. Ok.

        68
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        Mute Jeanniejampots
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 7:11 PM

        It’s was traffic chaos today, merrion square closed off and then this too. All for a radio Station.

        58
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        Mute Dotrice Altrium Hollohatch
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 5:56 PM

        I went down it flying. It was MAGIC!!!

        45
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        Mute Dave Murray
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 7:05 PM

        Flying? Sliding down was too fancy that you took to the air?

        30
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        Mute Michael Kenny
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        Jul 24th 2016, 12:51 AM

        Did you hear any kids crying to be on it on your way down. It’s not fair only a select few allowed to be on it from a radio station.

        16
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        Mute kelcia mcnamara
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 11:32 PM

        This was only open to celebrities and the rest of us plebs had to win a radio competition to partake?!?!! Should not have been allowed! Dublin City is for all, Shame !

        38
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        Mute Apu Mohammed
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 7:47 PM

        They better reinforce that before the Irish heifer girls trundle down it

        38
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        Mute Eimear Dawson
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 9:34 PM

        Who are you who dares to make a sexist remark like that? Your name does not identify you as having any Irish connection.so I would like to tell you that we do not welcome such comments . People must be treated with respect.

        40
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        Mute ocJBI3Df
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        Jul 24th 2016, 7:44 AM

        How do you get a fat bird into bed? Piece of cake

        11
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        Mute james Goodyear
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 5:57 PM

        Fantastic Street festival for the kids in swords today also. I think it Might be there tomorrow too. Great fun!

        33
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        Mute Dotrice Altrium Hollohatch
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 6:00 PM

        swords!

        15
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        Mute Graham McNamara
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 6:24 PM

        Yeah ok but does it have a 260 foot slide where people have to paddle themselves down??

        57
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        Mute Mark Ryan
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 11:08 PM

        What does snapchatter mean? Just someone off snapchat??

        33
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        Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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        Jul 24th 2016, 10:03 AM

        No flies on you.

        3
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        Mute theedgeproductions
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 5:57 PM

        260 foot ???
        Who even in the civilised world even uses illogical US measurements

        33
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        Mute Uncle Monty
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 6:05 PM

        I know, yeah. It’s 43.33 fathoms ffs.

        99
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        Mute Kizzi Yeates
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 8:23 PM

        Hope they sterilised it after that Linda Martin ….

        30
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        Mute Aimoo
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        Jul 24th 2016, 12:07 AM

        No famous faces in article. Liar!!

        21
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        Mute Jason Moody
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        Jul 23rd 2016, 9:22 PM

        Few bottles babyoil

        5
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        Mute Barra O Brien
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        Jul 24th 2016, 10:05 AM

        98fm is utter rubbish, up there beside dermot and Dave in the annoyance factors. Bray air fest was a much better place to be.

        5
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        Mute Declan Gibney
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        Jul 24th 2016, 9:10 AM

        Not to worry, it will be burned out or stolen by now.

        4
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        Mute Alois Irlmaier
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        Jul 24th 2016, 1:46 PM

        They have the weather for it ;0)

        1
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