Exercise 68C Examining the work of a TD Key Skills
Success criteria
I can distinguish between a TD’s local and national roles.
TDs work locally and nationally. Their local work might involve asking questions of ministers in the Dáil for their constituents (people living in their constituency), such as what the government are doing for workers in a factory that is going to close. TDs’ national job means they pass laws and the budget every year, they elect a government and they sit on committees that advise the Dáil on specialist areas, such as fi nance and health. A TD cannot be arrested going to or from the Oireachtas. They cannot be sued for defamation (damaging someone’s good reputation) for any allegations they make in the Dáil.
Working in pairs, look at the work of a fi ctional TD and decide whether the tasks she does are related to her local work or her national work.
Miriam Jones is a TD for Mayo and is a member of the opposition party in the Dáil. These are just some of the jobs she did this week. For each, decide whether it is national or local work.
Local or national?
1. She asked the Minister for Education about the closure of a one- teacher school in Mayo.
2. She suggested an amendment to the Employment Equality Acts in a Dáil Committee meeting.
3. She voted against the budget because it does nothing for pensioners.
4. She organised a meeting in Ballina to generate tourism in the area.
5. She met a representative of an organisation campaigning to pass a new law on patients’ rights.