TDs Constituency Work

Seth Brundle

I know that TDs do a lot of work in terms of addressing constituent's requests, but I'm sure that most if not all is not within their remit.
What constituency work does a TD generally need to do as part of their TD role?

Johnboy Mac

kbannon wrote: »

I know that TDs do a lot of work in terms of addressing constituent's requests, but I'm sure that most if not all is not within their remit.
What constituency work does a TD generally need to do as part of their TD role?

The one to ask no doubt is Ms. Beverley Cooper Flynn, she'd know for sure along with Michael Lowery and the likes.

Seth Brundle

Well in all seriousness, don't we pay towards the upkeep of a constituency office, etc. so I'd like to know what exactly we are paying for.

lostexpectation

the ol' tds acting like councillors thing?

stepbar

I'd say a lot of it is done more for glamour than anything else. To be seen to have such and such many constituency offices probably inflates the ego a bit.

Seth Brundle

lostexpectation wrote: »

the ol' tds acting like councillors thing?

Which is what I assuming and hoping I'm wrong as this would indicate yet another waste of taxpayers money!

stepbar

AFAIK if a TD has such and such amount of constituency offices, it's paid out of his / her own pocket. Each and every TD is entitled to an allowance for a sec to manage their day to day affairs.

dresden8

Well, for a FF TD they write to Minister's to give out about stuff they themselves voted to support, purely so they can tell their constituents that they're giving those feckers in Dublin hell for their Dublin-centric policies.

Opposition TDs write in to give out about everything, even the stuff they supported or even voted in a long time ago, giving those feckers in Dublin hell for their Dublin-centric policies.

Another going through the motions con-job.

The_Minister

Allot of it is raising local issues at a national level (one FG TD was caught writing in for both sides of an arguement), or helping people navigate the bureaucratic system of social welfare.

Johnboy Mac

lostexpectation wrote: »

the ol' tds acting like councillors thing?

+1

There are cut from the same cloth, same mentality ''gomebeenist'' in it's purest form.

lostexpectation

they should be dealing with national issues, and if their consituents are troubled by something, then he should try to see where else it is happening in the country and try to deal with the nationals issues involved and argue for legislation for it, if thats required.

Dannyboy83

dresden8 wrote: »

Well, for a FF TD they write to Minister's to give out about stuff they themselves voted to support, purely so they can tell their constituents that they're giving those feckers in Dublin hell for their Dublin-centric policies.

Opposition TDs write in to give out about everything, even the stuff they supported or even voted in a long time ago, giving those feckers in Dublin hell for their Dublin-centric policies.

Another going through the motions con-job.

Admittedly, I'm a cynic, but I do agree.

Are there any exceptions I wonder?

Seth Brundle

lostexpectation wrote: »

they should be dealing with national issues, and if their consituents are troubled by something, then he should try to see where else it is happening in the country and try to deal with the nationals issues involved and argue for legislation for it, if thats required.

This is what prompted my original post.
From what I can see and so far nobody has proven me otherwise, our TDs receive payment from the taxpayers towards work not related to their position!

Het-Field

A Fianna Failer once told me that Senator Donie Cassidy was a "good local Senator" Now what is wrong with that might I ask ?