10 in Dail for Taoiseach's questions

IrishTonyO

I was amazed today when I started watching the Dail live on the Web. It was Taoiseach questions and including the Taoiseach there were 10 TD's present!
How do TD's get away with this especially the first day back after 2 weeks holidays. They would all be sacked if they were working for a private company.
It really is time for them to clock in and out and have all their attendances and votes put on the web, so the public can see which TD's take their job seriously and which ones are just taking the piss. I know some people will say they are working somewhere else, well 156 out 166 not present is really just taking the piss

IrishTonyO

and now there are 3 in the Dail for questions to O'Cuiv including him!!!

wes

Seems like a right sorry state of affairs. Is this a normal thing, or something that is more recent?

LookingFor

Whenever I see reports from the Dail on RTE reports, almost invariably the chambers are practically empty. I don't think it's an unusual thing.

Disgraceful.

Spiritoftheseventies

AFAIK a few of them are still stuck abroad due to the whole ash crisis

IrishTonyO

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

AFAIK a few of them are still stuck abroad due to the whole ash crisis

A few not 156! Sorry 153 forgot about the by-elections

Spiritoftheseventies

IrishTonyO wrote: »

A few not 156! Sorry 153 forgot about the by-elections

Could be they know something we dont. Election to be called soon?

Slugs

Just goes to show the Mickey mouse organistion that is the Irish government

PeakOutput

this seems fairly normal for european goverment it is a disgrace tho

danman

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Could be they know something we dont. Election to be called soon?

If they thought there was an election looming, why would they stay away?
Would they not make sure they were in the Dail being the good TD, turning up for debates, etc.....

Nijmegen

Sadly the Dail, like many chambers of elected representatives the world over it must be said in fairness, is irrelevant to most of the business of government. Most TD's show up to make a comment on record to be quoted in their local newspaper, or else they show up for the big shows. That's it. The job of the whip is mostly to ensure that they actually show up for the important votes.

But... how many of the people not there on a regular basis are returned time and time and time again by their constituents?

IrishTonyO

Nijmegen wrote: »

Sadly the Dail, like many chambers of elected representatives the world over it must be said in fairness, is irrelevant to most of the business of government. Most TD's show up to make a comment on record to be quoted in their local newspaper, or else they show up for the big shows. That's it. The job of the whip is mostly to ensure that they actually show up for the important votes.

But... how many of the people not there on a regular basis are returned time and time and time again by their constituents?

Is there anywhere to find out the attendance of TD's at the moment?

Liam Byrne

It's just a pity they weren't missing other days, like NAMA and the Bank Guarantee.

If they're not there, they can't do any damage.

Unfortunately we still, apparently, have to pay them (as highlighted by a former Taoiseach who prefers to line his pockets by spouting rubbish than show up to work).

Spiritoftheseventies

I always watch out for Leaders questions myself which gets a decent enough showing. C

ninty9er

I don't spend all of my time sitting in a Council Chamber. I do it for an hour a fortnight as a requirement of my job, but I honestly have better things to be doing.

Every TD bar 5 or 6 are on Oireachtas Committees which sit and do important legislative and investigative work.

The Dáil is for making decisions, I'd be more pissed off if there were 163 of them sitting there 10-10 Tuesday to Thursday wasting their time doing **** all.

Theres nothing they hear in the Dáil they can't hear 20 minutes later or know before it's even said.

douglashyde

The less of them in there; the better.

IrishTonyO

ninty9er wrote: »

I don't spend all of my time sitting in a Council Chamber. I do it for an hour a fortnight as a requirement of my job, but I honestly have better things to be doing.

Every TD bar 5 or 6 are on Oireachtas Committees which sit and do important legislative and investigative work.

The Dáil is for making decisions, I'd be more pissed off if there were 163 of them sitting there 10-10 Tuesday to Thursday wasting their time doing **** all.

Theres nothing they hear in the Dáil they can't hear 20 minutes later or know before it's even said.

A bit late to ask questions etc. if they are not there. Do you really think 10/163 or 3/163 is appropriate!!

ninty9er

If each party is represented by one person I think it's enough. For votes clearly it is important that as legislators they have read the legislation before them. I'd rather they were in their offices doing that than sitting in the Dáil chamber doodling while Ó'Cuív rambles on about "the minimal impact of difficult decisions to those struggling to survive on Welfare".

Biggins

How or why do they get away with it?
...Because they know they can. Its that simple. Its a national disgrace.

IrishTonyO

ninty9er wrote: »

If each party is represented by one person I think it's enough. For votes clearly it is important that as legislators they have read the legislation before them. I'd rather they were in their offices doing that than sitting in the Dáil chamber doodling while Ó'Cuív rambles on about "the minimal impact of difficult decisions to those struggling to survive on Welfare".

Have to say I dont agree with you at all. If it only takes 1 from each party then why the fvck do we have 166

PeterIanStaker

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

AFAIK a few of them are still stuck abroad due to the whole ash crisis

they can f***ing well stay abroad. Actually I pity the countries they're stuck in.

Nijmegen

If they don't need to be there then we don't need them at all. What function do the TD's outside of government do, bar act as full time and kicked up councillors?

The theoretical task of the Dail is to keep the governement honest. Heh.