DAVID Norris openly lobbied for Irish citizenship for his Algerian lover, it was revealed today.

The controversy dealt a fresh blow to the senator's Presidential ambitions with even more exposures about his personal life expected in the coming days.

Mr Norris' campaigning on behalf of a second partner was revealed as the candidate increasingly avoided the media and was protected by almost as many burly minders as Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness.

It emerged today that the senator lobbied in the Seanad to secure Irish citizenship for Algerian Tevfik Akin.

Mr Norris' senior advisers met in emergency session today to discuss the latest crisis to hit the campaign.

His PR consultant Paul Allen confirmed to the Herald that he attended an 8am meeting about the Norris campaign, but refused to give any details.

"I'm in a meeting and can't talk right now," said Mr Allen.

The senator lobbied openly in the Senate to demand citizenship for his then partner Mr Akin.

Senator Norris even brought the handsome health worker into the visitors' gallery, as he used his lobbying power to demand to know why Akin was refused naturalisation in 2007.

And he threatened to bring the Government through the courts if his lover was not granted Irish citizenship.

Scrap

"The visitor (Akin) in the Visitors' Gallery demands to know who put a black mark against him and what is that black mark," he said.

"Let us get to the bottom of this case and ascertain what black mark there is against him.

"If the minister can produce a scrap of evidence I demand he place it before the House."

The presidential hopeful was today refusing to comment on the controversy, with sources close to him admitting that it could prove extremely damaging.

The Herald made several calls to his head PR man Mr Allen but he refused to return them.

The news that Mr Norris used seanad speaking time to lobby for a second lover will provide further ammunition to his presidential opponents.

And sources close to him have admitted there are now fears that further revelations about his past will be brought into the public domain.

Mr Norris threatened the Government with court action with his demands were not met.

"I want the officials in the Department to know I will pursue this matter to the bitter end.

"Woe for them if they have behaved wrongly because, if I can not get the answer from the Oireachtas, I will make sure in the courts of this land that I get an answer in justice and decency for all the people in this country.

"I wonder what has been put into the system and what is the reason for the refusal of the citizenship application.

"I assume there has been a mistake but it is not one for which the gentleman in question should pay."

Mr Akin's initial application for refugee status was turned down in March 2006. However, following persistent lobbying by Mr Norris, he was later granted citizenship.

The news follows a series of revelations surrounding another alleged abuse of his roles as a senator where he wrote letters on Seanad not paper to both Irish and Israeli officials pleading for clemency for another former lover, Ezra Nawi.

Mr Norris exploded when quizzed by the Herald about the letters following his Late Late Show appearance on Friday night.

"I'm not going any further into that, I think it's quite wrong. And I have to say my basic principle is compassion and to protect people from collateral damage. I am not going to do anything that will prejudice the welfare of that young man who I think now must be 35 years old.

"Leave him in peace for God's sake, hit me with anything you want but have some decency I really appeal to you, have compassion, have compassion, that's the Christian thing to do."

hnews@herald.ie

- Niall O'Connor