Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála (Irish pronunciation: [ˈtʲaxtə ˈdɑːlə]), usually abbreviated as TD, 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 "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil",[1] though a more literal translation is "Assembly Delegate". "Teachtaí Dála" is the plural form in Irish.
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Overview [edit]
For electoral purposes, the country is divided into areas known as constituencies, each of which elects either three, four or five TDs. Under the Constitution there must be at least one TD for every 20,000 to 30,000 people.[1] A candidate to become a TD must be an Irish citizen and over 21.[2] Members of the judiciary, the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces are disqualified from membership of the Dáil.[2]
History [edit]
The term was first used to describe those Irish parliamentarians[3] who were elected at the 1918 general election, and who, rather than attending the British House of Commons in London, to which they had been elected, assembled instead in Dublin's Mansion House on 21 January 1919 to create a new Irish parliament: the First Dáil Éireann. 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 [edit]
The initials "TD" are placed after the surname of the elected TD. For example, the current Taoiseach (head of government) is "Enda Kenny, 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 Martin", "an Teachta Ó Máirtín".
Salaries and expenses [edit]
- Basic salary: €92,672[4]
- Mobile phone allowance: A maximum of €750 every 18 months[citation needed]
- Constituency office maintenance allowance: €8,888.17[citation needed]
- Constituency travel allowance: ranging from €2,475 to €8,782 depending on size of constituency[citation needed]
- Daily allowance: €61.53 for members who live within 24 km of Leinster House[citation needed]
- Miscellaneous expense allowance: €5,489.08[citation needed]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ a b "Deputy to Dáil Éireann – Teachta Dála". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 3 September 2007.
- ^ a b "Electoral Act, 1992 – Part IX". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Sheahan, Fionnan (1 February 2010). "TD salaries slashed by €17,000". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
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