Teachta Dála Explained

A Teachta Dála (in Irish ˌtʲaxt̪ˠə ˈd̪ˠaːlˠa/;[1] plural Irish: Teachtaí Dála), abbreviated as TD (plural TDanna in Irish,[2] TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas (the Irish Parliament). It is the equivalent of terms such as Member of Parliament (MP) or Member of Congress used in other countries. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil",[3] although a more literal translation is "Assembly Delegate".[4]

Number of TDs

Ireland is divided into Dáil constituencies, each of which elects three, four, or five TDs. Under the Constitution, the total number of TDs must be fixed at one TD for each 20,000 to 30,000 of the population.[3] There are 160 TDs in the 33rd Dáil, elected at the 2020 general election under the Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2017. At the next general election, under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023, there will be 174 TDs. The outgoing Ceann Comhairle is automatically returned unless they announce their retirement before the dissolution of the Dáil.

Qualification

A candidate for election as TD must be an Irish citizen and over 21 years of age. Members of the judiciary, the Garda Síochána, and the Defence Forces are disqualified from membership of the Dáil.[5]

History

The term was first used to describe those Irish parliamentarians[6] who were elected at the 1918 general election, and who, rather than attending the British House of Commons at Westminster, to which they had been elected, assembled instead in the Mansion House in Dublin on 21 January 1919 to create a new Irish parliament: the First Dáil Éireann. Initially, the term Irish: Feisire Dáil Eireann (F.D.E.) was mooted,[7] but 'Teachta' was used from the first meeting.[8] The term continued to be used after this First Dáil and was used to refer to later members of the Irish Republic's single-chamber Dáil Éireann (or 'Assembly of Ireland') (1919–1922), members of the Free State Dáil (1922–1937), and of the modern Dáil Éireann.

Style

The initials "TD" are placed after the surname of the elected TD. For example, the current Taoiseach (head of government) is "Simon Harris, TD". The style used to refer to individual TDs during debates in Dáil Éireann is the member's surname preceded by Deputy (Irish: an Teachta): for example, "Deputy McDonald", "an Teachta Ní Dhomhnaill/Bhean Úi Dhomhnaill"[9] or "an Teachta Ó Domhnaill".[10]

Salaries and expenses

The basic salary of a backbench TD is €112,553.[11] Cabinet ministers and junior ministers receive additional allowances. Office-holders (opposition party leaders, whips, the Ceann Comhairle, and Leas-Cheann Comhairle) also receive additional allowances.[12]

After controversy regarding alleged abuses of the Oireachtas expenses provisions, the system was simplified in 2009 and 2010 into two allowances:[13] [14] [15] [16]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Encyclopedia: Teachta Dála . https://web.archive.org/web/20220902031203/https://www.dictionary.com/ . dead . 2022-09-02 . Lexico UK English Dictionary . Oxford University Press.
  2. See e.g.Web site: Take Charge of Change . 2012 . Office of the President . en, ga . 14 August 2013 . Dublin . "Empower local Government so that our national representatives TDs don't engage in parochial politics./Cumhacht a thabhairt don Rialtas áitiúil ionas nach mbeidh ár gcuid ionadaithe náisiúnta, na TDanna, i mbun na polaitíochta paróistí." . 3, 7 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130328080731/http://www.president.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/The-Take-Charge-of-Change-declaration-English-Gaeilge.pdf . 28 March 2013 .
  3. Web site: Dáil Éireann. 28 February 2020. Houses of the Oireachtas.
  4. Web site: The inaugural public meeting of Dáil Éireann. Dáil 100. 28 February 2020.
  5. 1992. 23. 41. Electoral Act 1992. Disqualification for membership of Dáil. 5 November 1992.
  6. 73 out of 105 seats won in Ireland at the 1918 general election were by Sinn Féin members. Unionist and Irish Parliamentary Party members refused to recognise the Dáil, and so did not attend.
  7. e.g.
    • Encyclopedia: https://archive.org/stream/encyclopaediabri31chisrich#page/574/mode/1up . Ireland . 573 . 31 . Encyclopædia Britannica . 12th . Walter Alison Phillips . Walter Alison . Phillips . 1922 . 21 October 2016 . The victorious group assumed the title of the Irish Republican party, and styled themselves not M.P., but F.D.E. (Irish: Feisire Dail Eireann, i.e. members of the Assembly of Ireland)..
    • Cork Examiner, 21 January 1919, "The M.P.s, or F.D.Es (Feisire Dáil Eireann) as they will be known in future, [etc.]" (cited in Irish Views on Old Austria and Austrian Views on the Irish Question, 1848–1918. PDF . Ferris. Lisa. September 2008. University of Vienna. 609 . 21 October 2016.)
  8. Web site: Prelude. 21 January 1919. First Dáil proceedings. Oireachtas . y. c.9 . Tháinig na Teachtaí I gceann a chéile I nÁrus Árd-Mhéire Bhaile Átha Cliath ar a 3.30 iar nóin.. Irish. 21 October 2016.
  9. Ms McDonald/Mrs McDonald
  10. Web site: Dáil Éireann . Houses of the Oireachtas.
  11. Web site: 1 June 2024 . TDs and Senators salaries . 18 June 2024 . Houses of the Oireachtas.
  12. Web site: Allowances for additional responsibilities payable to Members of Dáil Éireann. Houses of the Oireachtas. 6 June 2013.
  13. Web site: Revised system of expense allowances for Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas . 10 February 2010. Department of Finance, Government of Ireland . 6 June 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131019115259/http://www.finance.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=6207. 19 October 2013.
  14. News: Lavish expenses for Oireachtas face overhaul. Murphy. Cormac. 21 January 2009. Evening Herald. 6 June 2013.
  15. Web site: Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act 2009. 21 July 2009. Irish Statute Book. 6 June 2013.
  16. Web site: Parliamentary Standard Allowance (PSA) – Travel and Accommodation and Public Representation Allowances. Oireachtas. 5 January 2024.
  17. News: Finally, TDs must provide receipts but no full reform. Kelly. Fiach. 6 December 2012. Irish Independent. 6 June 2013.

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