Teachta Dála (members of parliament)

The Irish Parliament (Legislature) consists of two Houses, Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann. This leaflet gives a general overview of the work of the Members of Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives). Members of Dáil Éireann are elected by citizens aged 18 years and over. A Member's official Irish title is "Teachta Dála" which in English means "Deputy to the Dáil"; Members are generally called "TDs" or "Deputies".

Tá dhá Theach i bParlaimint na hÉireann (An tOireachtas), Dáil Éireann agus Seanad Éireann; tugann an bhileog seo léargas ginearálta ar obair chomhaltaí de Dháil Éireann (Teach Ionadóirí).Saoránaigh atá ocht mbliana déag d'aois agus os a chionn a thoghann Comhaltaí de Dháil Éireann. Teachta Dála a thugtar ar Chomhalta go hoifigiúil; de ghnáth tugtar "TD" nó "Teachta" ar Chomhalta.

By law, a General Election to Dáil Éireann must be held at least once every five years. For electoral purposes, the country is divided into areas known as constituencies, each of which elects either three, four or five Members. Under the Constitution there must be at least one Member for every 20,000 to 30,000 people and at present there are 166 Members representing 42 constituencies. The constituencies must be revised at least once in every twelve years. In practice, constituencies are revised on the publication of the results of each census of population. A census is normally taken every fifth year and then an independent Commission draws up a revised scheme of constituencies if necessary.

De réir an dlí ní mór Olltoghchán do Dháil Éireann a bheith ann uair amháin ar a laghad gach cúig bliana. Chun críocha toghchán, tá an tír roinnte i gceantair ar a dtugtar Dáilcheantair, a dtoghann gach ceann acu triúr, ceathrar nó cúigear comhaltaí. Faoin mBunreacht caithfidh TD amháin ar a laghad a bheith ann do gach 20,000 go 30,000 duine agus faoi láthair tá 166 TD ann ar ionadaithe iad do 42 Dáilcheantar. Ní foláir na Dáilcheantair a athmheas uair amháin ar a laghad gach dhá bhliain déag. Go praiticiúil, déantar na Dáilcheantair a athmheas ar fhoilsiú thorthaí gach daonáirimh. Glactar daonáireamh gach cúigiú bliain de ghnáth agus ansin déanann Coimisiún neamhspleách scéim athmheasta Dáilcheantar a leagan amach.

Deputies represent the entire electorate within their constituencies and provide an essential democratic link between constituents, Government and Parliament. A Deputy can be a member of a Government Party , the Opposition or sit as an Independent.

Déanann Teachtaí ionadaíocht thar ceann na toghlachta iomláine laistigh dá nDáilcheantair agus soláthraíonn siad nascadh riachtanach daonlathach idir muintir na nDáilcheantar, an Rialtas agus an Pharlaimint. Féadfaidh Teachta bheith ina c(h)omhalta de Pháirtí Rialtais nó den Fhreasúra nó féadfaidh sé nó sí suí mar Theachta Neamhspleách.

The work of a Deputy is extremely varied. In addition to their primary work as a Member of Dáil Éireann, Deputies will often be members of local authorities, health boards and VECs. Deputies will, therefore, divide their time between the needs of their constituency, where they maintain close links with local people, groups and organisations, and attendance at meetings of Dáil Éireann and its many specialist committees.

Tá an-éagsúlacht ag baint le hobair an Teachta. De bhreis ar a bpríomhobair mar Chomhaltaí de Dháil Éireann, is minic a bhíonn Teachtaí ina gcomhaltaí d'údaráis áitiúla, de bhoird sláinte agus de Choistí Gairmoideachais. Déanfaidh Teachtaí a gcuid ama a roinnt, mar sin, idir riachtanais a nDáilcheantair, mar a gcoinníonn siad dlúthnaisc leis an bpobal áitiúil, le grúpaí agus le heagraíochtaí áitiúla, agus freastal ar chruinnithe de Dháil Éireann agus den iliomad sainchoistí dá cuid.

Deputies hold regular advice clinics throughout their constituencies which enables constituents to meet them personally. Very often assistance may be required to help with a personal/family problem with a Government Department, local authority or health board. If necessary, the Deputy will use the procedures of Dáil Éireann (e.g. Parliamentary Question) to have the matter discussed.

Reáchtálann Teachtaí clinicí comhairleach ina nDáilcheantair go rialta agus cuireann na clinicí sin ar chumas mhuintir na nDáilcheantar bualadh leo go pearsanta. Go han-mhinic bíonn cabhair ag teastáil maidir le fadhb phearsanta / theaghlaigh le Roinn Rialtais, le húdarás áitiúil nó le bord sláinte. Más gá, bainfidh an Teachta leas as nósanna imeachta Dháil Éireann (e.g. ceist pharlaiminte) chun déileáil leis an ábhar.

Dáil Éireann normally meets in plenary session on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. A typical day's work for a Deputy in Dáil Éireann includes researching and preparing speeches for debates on social, economic, financial and budgetary issues, drafting amendments to and examining proposals for new legislation, contributing to debates on Bills and other important matters, voting on issues in the House, attending Question Time, participating in the proceedings of Committees and making either oral or written representations on behalf of constituents to Ministers or Government Departments.

Tionóltar chruinnithe de Dháil Éireann de ghnáth Dé Máirt, Dé Céadaoin agus Déardaoin. Áirítear i ngnáth-lá oibre an Teachta i nDáil Éireann taighde a dhéanamh agus óráidí a ullmhú le haghaidh díospóireachtaí ar cheisteanna sóisialta, eacnamaíochta, airgeadais agus buiséid, leasuithe ar reachtaíocht nua a dhréachtú agus moltaí le haghaidh reachtaíochta nua a scrúdú, páirt a ghlacadh i ndíospóireachtaí ar Bhillí agus ar ábhair thábhachtacha eile, vóta a chaitheamh ar cheisteanna sa Teach, freastal ar Thráth na gCeist, páirt a ghlacadh in imeachtaí na gCoistí agus uiríollacha a dhéanamh ó bhéal nó i scríbhinn thar ceann mhuintir a Dháilcheantair chuig Airí nó Ranna Rialtais.

In relation to Committee work, Dáil Éireann has its own specialised Committee system which advises on a wide range of legislative, social, economic and financial business. Other work conducted by these Committees includes the processing of legislation and the examination of Government expenditure. In recent years, the setting up of a well organised system of Joint Committees ( i.e Committees of both Houses sitting and voting together ) has resulted in Deputies having additional opportunities to participate to an even greater extent in specialised parliamentary work. (For a full listing of Committees of the 29th Dáil see leaflet entitled "Parliamentary Committees"). A Deputy will often be a member of more than one Committee or indeed its Chairperson. Deputies also have an international political role to play through their membership of international bodies e.g. the Council of Europe, the British-Irish Inter-parliamentary Body and other parliamentary associations and are frequently called upon by national and international TV and Radio to participate in current affairs programmes.

I dtaca le hobair Choiste, tá a sainchóras Coistí féin ag Dáil Éireann a thugann comhairle ar réimse leathan ábhar, mar shampla reachtaíocht, cúrsaí sóisialta, eacnamaíochta agus airgeadais. Obair eile a dhéanann na Coistí sin ná reachtaíocht a phróiseáil agus caiteachas Rialtais a scrúdú. Le blianta beaga anuas, de thoradh ar bhunú chóras dea-eagraithe na gComhchoistí ( i.e. Coistí den dá Theach ag suí agus ag vótáil le chéile ) tugtar deiseanna breise do Theachtaí páirt níos mó a ghlacadh i sainobair pharlaiminteach. (Chun liosta iomlán de Choistí an 29ú Dáil a fheiceáil,féach bileog dar teideal "Coistí Parlaiminte") Is minic a bhíonn Teachta ina C(h)omhalta de níos mó ná aon Choiste amháin nó tig leis nó léi a bheith ina c(h)athaoirleach ar Choiste fiú. Bíonn ról polaitiúil idirnáisiúnta ag Teachtaí leis, trína gcomhaltas i gcomhlachtaí idirnáisiúnta, e.g. Comhairle na hEorpa, Comhlacht Idir-Pharlaiminteach na Breataine agus na hÉireann agus cumainn pharlaiminteacha eile agus iarrann Teilifís agus Raidió náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta orthu go minic páirt a ghlacadh i gcláir chúrsaí reatha.

Members are provided by law with a range of entitlements (e.g. secretarial assistance, mileage, subsistence, postal and telephone allowances) to enable them to deal effectively with their duties as public representatives and legislators.

Tugtar cearta áirithe do Chomhaltaí le dlí (e.g. cúnamh rúnaíochta, míleáiste, cothú, liúntais phoist agus teileafóin) chun a chur ar a gcumas déileáil go héifeachtach lena gcuid dualgas mar ionadaithe poiblí agus reachtóirí.

For more detailed information, please contact

Public Relations Office, Leinster House, Dublin 2.
Tel: 01-6183066 / 3166
Fax: 01-6184118
E-mail: info@oireachtas.irlgov.ie
Web site: www.irlgov.ie/oireachtas