The constituency role of Dáil deputies

Bibliographic Data

ID20071590
AuthorsMichael Gallagher (0000-0002-3858-0130), Michael R Gallagher (0000-0002-7457-108X), Lee Komito
Year2017
Pages191-215
Publication date2017-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeCHAPTER
VenuePolitics in the Republic of Ireland (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherRoutledge (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.4324/9781315652313-8
OpenAlexW2491644628
ISBN9781315652313
LanguageEN
Citations received15
References cited2

This chapter focuses on a different aspect of the work of TDs, looking at the business on which they spend a lot of their time, namely constituency work. The local promoter role is concerned primarily with making representations about 'the constituency's collective needs, which may be economic, environmental, or social'. The chapter considers the question of whether TDs' constituency work can be regarded as 'clientelistic', before placing deputies' constituency-related activities in comparative perspective. Yet, judging by the large amount of time it occupies, it seems in practice to be more important in the working life of a TD than narrowly-defined parliamentary duties such as speaking in the Dail chamber or examining legislation. As when acting in the welfare officer role, this might involve the TD in contacting civil servants to try to get a decision reversed or speeded up, or in putting down a parliamentary question

Political science · Irish and British Studies

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