Voters elect TDs to legislate on behalf of the State and to advocate for the needs of their constituency, but are we, the taxpayers, getting any value for our vote?
Whatever you might say about their work or achievements, there is no doubt that Galway’s nine TDs have an excellent attendance record with most of them turning up for more than 85 per cent of all votes in the Dáil.
According to figures published in Tuesday’s Irish Independent, top of the class are Fianna Fáil Galway East TDs Michael Kitt and Noel Treacy (both 96 per cent attendance record ); followed by Independent Galway West TD Noel Grealish (91 per cent ); FG Galway East TD Ulick Burke (90 per cent ); his Galway West party colleague Pádraic McCormack (89 per cent ); the Minister for Social Protection Éamon Ó Cuív (87 per cent ); and FG’s Paul Connaughton and Labour’s Michael D Higgins (86 per cent ).
However the Dáil sits only three days a week, an average of 100 days a year, so voters have every right to expect them to turn up and do their job. So what is the excuse for Fianna Fáil Galway West TD Frank Fahey?
The figures show that Dep Fahey made it for only 67 per cent of all votes cast in the Dáil - the lowest attendance of any of the Galway TDs. He is also among the Top 10 TDs with the worst attendance record.
That said, Dep Fahey still has a better attendance record than our current Taoiseach Brian Cowen (48 per cent ); the man who wants to be the next Taoiseach, Enda Kenny (64 per cent ); and our former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern (30 per cent ).
