Irish presidency election: David Norris wins nomination

David Norris secured the backing of Dublin City Council on Tuesday night

Irish senator David Norris has secured the last nomination he needed to allow him to stand in next month's presidential election.

The academic won the backing of Dublin City Council, the fourth local authority to support his bid.

He is the seventh candidate to enter the race with the deadline for nominations on Wednesday.

Earlier, former Eurovision star Dana Rosemary Scallon secured her place on the ballot paper.

Mr Norris, who is also a prominent gay rights campaigner, added the backing of the capital's council to support he had already received from authorities in Laois, Fingal and Waterford.

Dana is supported by Offaly, Donegal, Carlow and Roscommon.

Candidates need the support of either 20 members of the Irish parliament or four local authorities.

Mr Norris re-entered the race after withdrawing because of controversy surrounding a letter he wrote to an Israeli court pleading for clemency for his former partner.

Ezra Yitzhak had been convicted of the statutory rape of a 15-year-old boy.

The deadline for nominations for the presidential poll is at 12:00 BST on Wednesday.

There were already five candidates - Fine Gael's Gay Mitchell, Labour's Michael D Higgins, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness and two independents, Mary Davis and Sean Gallagher.