TD and another job

dodgyme

Is it unusual for an opposition TD to have another job and practice as a TD. Surely he/she should only do one or the other. E.g. a TD who practices as a Doctor also??:rolleyes:

mike65

Its pretty much 'normal', except the TD will officially be "on leave" from thier proper job as a teacher

Mike.

dodgyme

No I mean a TD who is actually working (not on leave) as a Doctor and is also a TD for example.

The_Minister

IIRC there are a few in the Dail. It tends to be people on the opposition, or backbenchers, as ministers are far too busy. Lawyers practice too, as well as doctors.

dodgyme

The_Minister wrote: »

IIRC there are a few in the Dail. It tends to be people on the opposition, or backbenchers, as ministers are far too busy. Lawyers practice too, as well as doctors.

Thanks for that. I think it shouldnt be allowed TBH

Time Magazine

Why not?

I've "disagreed" with who I think you're talking about before. But the man was fairly elected and said he would continue working part-time (primarily during the summer) to keep himself familiar with the health system.

dodgyme

Ibid wrote: »

Why not?

I've "disagreed" with who I think you're talking about before. But the man was fairly elected and said he would continue working part-time (primarily during the summer) to keep himself familiar with the health system.

For the sake of spliting hairs --- its winter now and he is still working.
A TD should only be a TD.

Time Magazine

dodgyme wrote: »

For the sake of spliting hairs --- its winter now and he is still working.
A TD should only be a TD.

You're not splitting hairs; you're misquoting both him and I. Read the post, it clearly states "primarily".

Why should a TD not keep up some practice? It keeps him in touch with the health system and it's not like the Dáil sit most or even all that many days. If you think it's interfering with his constituency work, surely his constituents will vote according in the next General Election?

Would you object if he was not charging for the services offered?

Finally I presume you're talking about Dr Leo Varadkar?

dodgyme

Ibid wrote: »

Would you object if he was not charging for the services offered?

My question was not about charity work.

I think he is a good politician but I disagree with the concept of TD having other jobs also as a distraction from their constituency work. When 99% of people vote they vote assuming that the person with be a TD and a TD only for the duration of the Dail. If you divorce the particular from the general I disagree with it in general and think it is a bad idea in general. If it was a trend it would be a bad one, so you have to when you are deciding whether you think it is ok or not I think it is not.

Gone West

Are you talking about McDaid? He's a doctor and is running a business as well as sitting in the Daíl.
Dont be shy about naming him/etc.
They are elected representatives and if they're working jobs, theres nothing wrong with us posting about it.
I know, personally of 10 or 20 that are working full-time jobs.
They have an oireachtas-funded constituency office, with 1-3 secretaries, a Leinster House office with 1-3 secretaries adn then their business.
The secretaries handle almost all of the real work. Its a fact with back benchers, quiet TDs, TDs who don't attend much, don't get involved in Daíl committees etc.

Some are big farmers, I know 5 personally with serious acreage and are full time farmers.
That said, most leave most of their real work in the Dail and at home to the secretaries.

I even know of one instance where a TD has his goverment secretary do his normal work...

The_Minister

FuzzyLogic wrote: »

Are you talking about McDaid? He's a doctor and is running a business as well as sitting in the Daíl

He's referring to Vradkar, but IIRC McDaid fits in as well (though I think he may have stopped this).
It's often done so that they can keep their customer base going, so that if they get booted out, they can go back to their previous occupation.

Liam Byrne

dodgyme wrote: »

Is it unusual for an opposition TD to have another job and practice as a TD

I just wish TDs weren't still practicing.......they should be good at it by now.

Mr.Micro

Liam Byrne wrote: »

I just wish TDs weren't still practicing.......they should be good at it by now.

To be honest the Dail sessions are so short that you could do the job in your spare time .There appears to be less and less Dail days each year .All you have to do is put your hand up to vote now and again .Chimps could do it .

Liam Byrne

Mr.Micro wrote: »

To be honest the Dail sessions are so short that you could do the job in your spare time .There appears to be less and less Dail days each year .All you have to do is put your hand up to vote now and again .Chimps could do it .

Fair point....especially since it's not "YOUR" vote....it's whatever way Bertie or whoever says you have to vote.....

flogen

Dáil work has nothing to do with what most politicians do - for front benchers on opposition benches it usually involves one appearance a week to throw questions at either Bertie or their respective opposite.

The rest is working the parish pump, really, so you cannot judge how much work they do by their work in the Dáil itself.

I'm not really sure where I stand on TDs working part-time. I think it does add to the overall problem with our parliament that a TDs involvement in it is not seen as necessary 9 times out of 10 but on a case by case basis I can't really complain.

That said I'd be interested to know if they claim more for their constituency office because they need more people looking after it than they would if they were there all day.

Perhaps if they're working part-time in one job they should be treated as being part-time in the Dáil too (and given half their normal salary)?

Liam Byrne

Fair point, flogen - you could argue that it's a bit like a radio DJ being paid for 3 hours on air but not being paid for the show prep time......you can't do one without the other, but it doesn't apply to most jobs......

kevmy

What about Johnno?

Managing a football team and being a TD. Thats gotta be difficult. Most people wouldn't take on either job and he's doing both.

Time Magazine

flogen wrote: »

Perhaps if they're working part-time in one job they should be treated as being part-time in the Dáil too (and given half their normal salary)?

Interesting point but it suffers from the same argument as against progressive taxation* namely that it is entirely possible people are working 80 hours a week instead of 40.

*Which I support

jmayo

dodgyme wrote: »

For the sake of spliting hairs --- its winter now and he is still working.
A TD should only be a TD.

If you are TD whose old job was a teacher, then your job is put on hold so that he can come back to it if you lose your seat.
I am not sure if this goes for other public sector/service employees?

But if you are self employed in the private sector, e.g a doctor, a lawyer, a farmer you have to keep your business running, so that you do have something to go back to if you lose your seat.
This can often mean staying upto date with changes in the industry and would mean spending sometime working in your business.

Not every TD has luxury of being teachers and being able to jump back in old job if the electorate give you the old heave ho.

Who cares if TD does some private medical practice work if he also finds the time to do his constituency work (which is all that matters in Ireland) and also the work for his cabinet/frontbench spokesperwson brief.

By this reasoning a farmer TD is not allowed plough a field or milk the cows when he goes home to his farm :rolleyes:

Are our TDS meant to do nothing but sit in the Dail or Leinster House and then their constituency clinic? :rolleyes:

dodgyme

you friendly with a TD who has a job on the side I take it?

dodgyme

jmayo wrote: »

Are our TDS meant to do nothing but sit in the Dail or Leinster House and then their constituency clinic? :rolleyes:

yes and maybe some more which they cant do if they are writing prescriptions all day:rolleyes:

jmayo

dodgyme wrote: »

yes and maybe some more which they cant do if they are writing prescriptions all day:rolleyes:

So if you strictly limit what TDs can do it would mean the only ones entering public life would be public servants or Sinn Fein members, because they are the only ones that could afford to limit themselves totally 100% to their public duties.
Wouldn't that be great for the country :eek:

The shower at the moment are bad enough but at least some of them have experience of the non public sector/service :rolleyes:
People like Albert Reynolds, Peter Barry, Fergal Quinn to name but a few would have outside business interests, so would they have been in political life if strict rules apply.
Currently as mentioned John O'Mahony (who is a teacher BTW) manages the Mayo football team, would that preclude him from being in Dail ?

Maybe some TDs can balance both their private enterprise and their public service, performing well in both.
Did you ever consider that?
Sadly if you gave some of the effing eejits, a lot of whom are ministers, a lifetime to perform their public duties, they still couldn't organise a pi** up in a brewery.

If you are not in a job or business, that you can take up where you left off if you lose your seat, then you have to safeguard your business/job for the future.
As I said it is easy if you can saunder back into your old school after five years and replace the temp that help your job down for that period of time.

Trying to take up where you left off in a business, that you owned and ran, after a five year period away would be a different matter.

Oh and why should it matter if I was friends with such a TD?

Jackie laughlin

A TD should be as free as any other citizen to do two or more jobs.

Incidentally, ALL constituency "work" is a lie. Constituency "work" should be banned.

Time Magazine

Jackie laughlin wrote: »

Constituency "work" should be banned.

Lol.

Guy:Incognito

If the rest of us are free to have as many jobs as we see fit and can fit into a workign week, why should td's be any different? Should they be forced to sit in a chair at home in their time off?

Victor Meldrew

TD's are well paid, (and have been for the past few years) for what should be a demanding job. any I know do not have any time off and are full time politicians. their professional jobs are put on hold whilst they pursue their political careers.

that said, the recent pay rise by Caligula Ahern and his cronies is a disgusting "two fingers" to the public, given the non-governance we are enduring at present. :mad:

dodgyme

jmayo wrote: »

So if you strictly limit what TDs can do it would mean the only ones entering public life would be public servants or Sinn Fein members

No I never said that, just you ranting

jmayo wrote: »

because they are the only ones that could afford to limit themselves totally 100% to their public duties.
Wouldn't that be great for the country :eek:

Yes I would be great for the country, I think a TD on a good salary from what I hear should devote their working hours to the job they sought to be elected too. The way you are painting it is like they are not paid for it and the role of TD is somehow a sacrifice.

jmayo wrote: »

Currently as mentioned John O'Mahony (who is a teacher BTW)

He is not teaching at the moment?

jmayo wrote: »

Maybe some TDs can balance both their private enterprise and their public service, performing well in both.
Did you ever consider that?

did you ever consider what the taxpayer is paying a TD salary for?

jmayo wrote: »

Sadly if you gave some of the effing eejits, a lot of whom are ministers, a lifetime to perform their public duties, they still couldn't organise a pi** up in a brewery.

and maybe should have a few side jobs (according to you) to impinge their bad performance even worse?

jmayo wrote: »

Oh and why should it matter if I was friends with such a TD?

coz it sounds like you are defending someone you know.

jmayo

dodgyme wrote: »

No I never said that, just you ranting

Yes I would be great for the country, I think a TD on a good salary from what I hear should devote their working hours to the job they sought to be elected too. The way you are painting it is like they are not paid for it and the role of TD is somehow a sacrifice.

He is not teaching at the moment?

did you ever consider what the taxpayer is paying a TD salary for?

and maybe should have a few side jobs (according to you) to impinge their bad performance even worse?

coz it sounds like you are defending someone you know.

First off you are the one saying that TDs should be prevented from being involved in anything bar being a TD so not my rant.
Of course in Ireland a public representative's work includes the joke of clinics and constituency work. Convincing people that they are doing something to get what people deserve in the first place.

According to your limitations it would mean that anyone that had a business would probably not go into politics becuase they would be prevented from taking part in that business whilst a TD.

So because a TD, who was self employed, is well paid they should not try and ensure that their business continues to function, so that there will be something there in future when they lose their seat or something for the family to inherit ?
Did I say they were not well paid, they are too well paid when you factor in their ridiculous expenses ?
Some of them have to try and ensure for a future after politics.
What about instances where the businesses they own employ lots of people, should they not invest some time in their company to ensure it continues not alone for their own good but for the good of their employees?

OMG you see you have pushed me into defending politicans, a handful of which I would deem decent hardworking individuals

BTW John O'Mahony was a teacher and he gave it up to concentrate on getting elected as a TD. Now I am not sure if he went on a sabattical leave or actually resigned?
Anyway he should concentrate 100% on getting us an All-Ireland and then he will be assured of his seat forever

brianthebard

There are a number of TD's that are publicans are there not? I imagine many of them continue to work, or at least to earn quite a bit in addition to whatever they get as a TD.

jmayo

brianthebard wrote: »

There are a number of TD's that are publicans are there not? I imagine many of them continue to work, or at least to earn quite a bit in addition to whatever they get as a TD.

Jackie Healy-Rae was a publican but one of the sons now run the pub.
Joe Jacob used to own a pub.
OMG what a collection :rolleyes:

Not sure who of the current bunch ?

dodgyme

jmayo wrote: »

Anyway he should concentrate 100% on getting us an All-Ireland and then he will be assured of his seat forever

Well I loved that political turn around after the Derry game(I think) last year. Instead of mayo going the final step and getting an all ireland, suddenly it was a period of restructuring. ? Maybe they can restructure their way to croke park and get what they should have a few times already.