What do you have to do to get a reply to an email sent to a T.D ???!

I've sent an email to all 5 of my local T.D's and not even the courtesy of a " we have received your communication" reply from any of them.
Not even an acknowledgment,Nada nothing...

The emails were sent 3 weeks ago to their oireachtas addresses.

So much for the information super highway and Ireland being a hub for ...

Sigh :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Poly

Brown envelope full of cash usually gets their attention.
Ring his local office, see where the waster is.

_Kaiser_

Deleted User wrote: »

I've sent an email to all 5 of my local T.D's and not even the courtesy of a " we have received your communication" reply from any of them.
Not even an acknowledgment,Nada nothing...

The emails were sent 3 weeks ago to their oireachtas addresses.

So much for the information super highway and Ireland being a hub for ...

Sigh :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Depends what you're asking of them I'd imagine..

I sent a somewhat "annoyed" email to Ivor Callelly (copying all the main party leaders) recently about his expenses activities.

In fairness, Enda Kenny got back to me (from his iPhone no less!) but only to ask why I'd copied him as he's been saying it for years, and that he hoped I'd get the courtesy of a reply from the government.

.... which I didn't, save for a bland "we have received your email" acknowledgement from the offices of Mr Brian Cowen.

You have to remember though... these people are so busy bailing out their banking and construction buddies (as well as look after their families) that responding to the "little people" isn't high on their agendas (well until election time rolls around!). They've forgotten that they are there to serve us, not the other way around!

Aidric

I sent an an email to a member of the Seanad, further to a contribution he had made on Questions & Answers. Never did get a reply.

Fratton Fred

Poly wrote: »

Brown envelope full of cash usually gets their attention.
Ring his local office, see where the waster is.

Come on, this is the 21st century, you don't do that sort of thing nowadays.

Credit Card details and/or some incriminating photos FTW.

Are they not all on holiday for the rest of the summer?

_Kaiser_

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Are they not all on holiday for the rest of the summer?

But sure wasn't Brian Cowen on the news last week assuring us all that they'd be hard at work in their constituencies? :rolleyes:

The_Minister

Deleted User wrote: »

I've sent an email to all 5 of my local T.D's and not even the courtesy of a " we have received your communication" reply from any of them.
Not even an acknowledgment,Nada nothing...

The emails were sent 3 weeks ago to their oireachtas addresses.

So much for the information super highway and Ireland being a hub for ...

Sigh :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Firstly, take the time to write correctly - spelling and grammar mistakes make you look crazy.

Secondly, be succinct - they will not read an essay.

Thirdly, have an obvious goal in mind - make sure they have something definite to reply with.

Fourthly, make it appear that you are somewhat openminded towards them - telling them that you think they suck will not elicit a response.

Fifthly, be calm - most of the people who write into TDs are nutters who complain about all and sundry - they are screened out.

Sixthly, expect a standard format letter - it is unlikely that your query is so original that it will merit an individual response - it is even more unlikely that it will be written by the TD personally - they have better things to be doing (hopefully).

mikemac

If you want to be taken seriously, write a letter.
This goes for TD's or even for complaining to the likes of Eircom/UPC or other companies.

If I wanted to contact my local rep, it'd be by letter.

I know you'll say it's the 21st century and information age....
Anyone can bash off an email in under a minute

Send a letter, keep it short and to the point and you'll get a reply

I had reason to write to my local TD's last September,

Billy Timmins (FG)
Joe Behan (IND)
Liz McManus (LAB)
Dick Roche (FF)
Andrew Doyle (FF)

It was a personal matter, so you'll pardon me if I don't post details.

Within one hour of emailing them, I had a reply from Billy Timmins.
The next morning I got a reply from Liz McManus
On the same day I got a reply from Joe Behan saying he was on holiday and would get back to me.

Billy Timmins raised my question in the Dail
Liz McManus got Mary Hanafin to write me a personal letter answering my query.
By the time Joe Behan got back to me, I pretty much had the answers I needed.

I never heard from Andrew Doyle or Dick Roche.

The system works sometimes, you just have to know how to use it.

MrMatisse

Probably just couldnt be bothered reading another will you fix the pothole outside my house type email.

It is unique to this country that legislators are expected to respond really quickly to private matters.

ParkRunner

Deleted User wrote: »

I've sent an email to all 5 of my local T.D's and not even the courtesy of a " we have received your communication" reply from any of them.
Not even an acknowledgment,Nada nothing...

The emails were sent 3 weeks ago to their oireachtas addresses.

So much for the information super highway and Ireland being a hub for ...

Sigh :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

What did you put as the subject line? I sent 2 mails to my local TD's in the past year and in fairness they all got back to me. Brian Lenihan even posted out a letter to me with some handwritten comments. The subject line 'A concerned constituent' seemed to catch their attention

Poochie05

The_Minister wrote: »

Firstly, take the time to write correctly - spelling and grammar mistakes make you look crazy.

Secondly, be succinct - they will not read an essay.

Thirdly, have an obvious goal in mind - make sure they have something definite to reply with.

Fourthly, make it appear that you are somewhat openminded towards them - telling them that you think they suck will not elicit a response.

Fifthly, be calm - most of the people who write into TDs are nutters who complain about all and sundry - they are screened out.

Sixthly, expect a standard format letter - it is unlikely that your query is so original that it will merit an individual response - it is even more unlikely that it will be written by the TD personally - they have better things to be doing (hopefully).

I completely agree here. These people probably get hundreds of emails a day, each one looking for something or just venting about some issue or another and some probably abusive. Sending an email and copying to all and sundry while easy to do, could have the effect of diluting it's importance, akin to throwing mud and seeing what sticks. Which person on the list do you want to reply, who actually on the list can do something. I fully agree with having a definite outcome in mind so they can at least try to achieve this or investigate how to go about it and have something concrete to reply to.

The_Minister

The_Minister wrote: »

Firstly, take the time to write correctly - spelling and grammar mistakes make you look crazy.

Secondly, be succinct - they will not read an essay.

Thirdly, have an obvious goal in mind - make sure they have something definite to reply with.

Fourthly, make it appear that you are somewhat openminded towards them - telling them that you think they suck will not elicit a response.

Fifthly, be calm - most of the people who write into TDs are nutters who complain about all and sundry - they are screened out.

I did all those things...
I was in fact very courteous.

Sixthly, expect a standard format letter - it is unlikely that your query is so original that it will merit an individual response - it is even more unlikely that it will be written by the TD personally - they have better things to be doing (hopefully).

The content of my email whilst confidential did come under the remit of all my 5 local T.D's.

I also wrote to the opposition spokespersons and the relevant ministers [not yours ]office and no reply.
Mind you those latter emails were sent a week ago.
My first emails were to the minions [Dáil deputies] whom I expected to escalate the matter on my behalf.
No reply.

Eliot Rosewater

Following the first Lisbon referendum I wrote to Michael Martin, in his capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs, outlining why I voted no. I prefaced my two issues with something like "I don't want you to be under the illusion that all no voters are nutters..." and I quoted the Treaty itself, which probably gave credibility to my letter.

I received an very respectful personalised response which was signed by Mr Martin, and I also received a printed copy of the Lisbon White paper.

So it worked for me. Maybe there's a bit of luck in getting responded to.

bleg

I emailed my TD and he rang me back later that day.

Wide Road

A poster from this site, Liam I think, has tried to contact Alan Shatter regarding his voting pattern on the hunting bill. He didn't get a reply from Alan.

dan719

I emailed my local TD Sean Connick with regard to the proposed removal of the Search and Rescue helicopter from Waterford airport. I explained that family members (fishermen) had actually been saved by this same service and that I expected him as Junior Minister for fisheries to aggressively lobby against it's withdrawal. I got no reply.

On the same issue, I emailed Noel Dempsey. The reply was to the effect I would not be getting one that actually dealt with the content of my email. Something about staff being on hols. :rolleyes:

angeleyes

Maybe if you sent emails again asking where you can donate to their Election Fund - it would be interesting to see how fast you would be replied to then.

It seems from some replies on this thread,that they reply to some if they think it's important enough.
Mine wasn't about a pothole and it was an issue for the T.D's.

It appears some votes are more equal than others.

bamboozle

since the recession kicked in i email my local td's and councillors when something hits the news that angers me (Fas, Roddy Molloy, Pat Neary, Banks, NAMA, Ivor the skiver, Sean Fitz etc, etc)

I'm in Dublin North Central and Finian McGrath and Richard Bruton are very efficient at responding, Sean Haughey never responds.