when you contact a td by phone and email and get no reply what is the next step?

N

NOAH

Registered User
Messages
815
I have a scenario where a TD has been contacted by phone, messages left and also emails sent but both have been ignored!! What is the next step? Can an official complaint be raised?

noah
 
Have you given your name and address?
A TD will not reply to an email unless you give all your details and they want to check if you are a constituent.

Which is fair enough, I would not reply to anonymous emails either.
Sure otherwise they'd be abused by cranks and journalists

As for complaints, well go to the party chairman
 
...or aspiring TD.

What is the nature of your issue? Some TDs have an interest in certain issues and no interest in others.

My view is that a TD is perfectly entitled to ingore you if they wish.
 
NOAH said:
Can an official complaint be raised?
Click to expand...

Your TD probably never even saw your emails or got your messages.
They have staff for that and they don't hire the best qualified staff, often you'll be dealing with their husband or wife

Over four hundred thousand unemployed but the best assistant in the country happened to be in their family, handy that ;)

Ok some supported their careers for years and years and that's fair enough but since taxpayers are paying the salary for the staff it should be an open and clear hiring process imo

They're all at it. Joan Collins of ULA complained for years about Fianna Fáil and jobs for the boys and then hired her husband and get taxpayers to pay his salary
 
Depends on reason you contacted the TD. Is it to suggest new legislation?
 
micmclo said:
Your TD probably never even saw your emails or got your messages.
They have staff for that and they don't hire the best qualified staff, often you'll be dealing with their husband or wife

Over four hundred thousand unemployed but the best assistant in the country happened to be in their family, handy that ;)

Ok some supported their careers for years and years and that's fair enough but since taxpayers are paying the salary for the staff it should be an open and clear hiring process imo

They're all at it. Joan Collins of ULA complained for years about Fianna Fáil and jobs for the boys and then hired her husband and get taxpayers to pay his salary
Click to expand...

Countless SMEs and entrepreneurs employ relatives or family members. There is nothing illegal or wrong about that.

The biggest concern a TD or Senator will have when recruiting someone is confidentiality and the potential for embarrassment if information is improperly leaked into the public domain by the prospective employee. Hence it is important that they recruit someone they can trust. In that context, I don't see the problem with employing a family member.

Whether the State should be paying for the cost of TD's admin staff is another question entirely. I think that this is a luxury that the State cannot afford.
 
T McGibney said:
The biggest concern a TD or Senator will have when recruiting someone is confidentiality and the potential for embarrassment if information is improperly leaked into the public domain by the prospective employee. Hence it is important that they recruit someone they can trust. In that context, I don't see the problem with employing a family member.
Click to expand...

TDs dont have access to any confidential information? Only Ministers do. Anything they discuss in the Dail is public record as is draft legislation and associated documentation at committee stage etc.
 
csirl said:
TDs dont have access to any confidential information? Only Ministers do. Anything they discuss in the Dail is public record as is draft legislation and associated documentation at committee stage etc.
Click to expand...

A constituent's medical card application is one example of confidential information that will sooner or later cross a TD's desk, solicited or otherwise. The consequences of improper leaking of such data could be ruinous.
 
just an update, checked back and person involved rang the td's office and left an urgent mesage on answering machine and name address and telephone no. then a follow up email gave name full address and a mobile number, as of today they have still not been contacted. They got an automated response to the email. It was a matter relating to a building development causing possible flooding. Apparently, on asking around this TD has gone to ground since elected, ie never seen.

Wonder how they get elected.

Matter has been resolved by a TD Phil Hogan??

thanks for replies

Maybe said td who never replied was too busy making their expenses claims.
 
NOAH said:
It was a matter relating to a building development causing possible flooding.
Click to expand...

I dont think our national leglislators/public representatives should be involving themselves in this kind of thing. And I can understant why public representives might want to "run to ground" on the issue.

Why doesnt the person engage the relevant professionals (planners, engineers, solicitors) or maybe local councellors to sort the problem? Or perhaps set up a pressure group to oppose/propose the development?

As an aside I remember years ago when I lived in South Dublin during a general election I tackled the late Pat Upton TD about street lighting on our estate. He told me that this was a general election and not to be annoying him with trivial such issues. I was somewhat taken aback but respected him for taking a stand and stating his position.
 
there was more to it than meets the eye, a lot of contact had been made with local council, planning office etc, engineer involved as well, calls not returned, emails not answered, and so on, illegal dumping, its still not resolved satisfactorily. What is a TD supposed to do then? I know they do sod all apart from claiming expenses. I think a reply would have been courteous but then again that would be too professional and correct. And fat chance of that.
 
Ah! Ajapale - Let's not forget even the forthcoming EU referendum will live or die on the issues of septic tanks, medical cards, bicycle lanes and perhaps even agricultural grants, each represented by some roaring TD.
 
ye see NOAH you want it all really! You want less TDs in government, more reform in the Dail and yet you want your local TD to be involved in issues with local buildings, illegal dumping, etc.
 
T McGibney said:
A constituent's medical card application is one example of confidential information that will sooner or later cross a TD's desk, solicited or otherwise. The consequences of improper leaking of such data could be ruinous.
Click to expand...

Not true. A TD has no access to personal applications submitted to government departments/offices. The only way a TD can get this information is if the applicant themselves supplies it.
 
A TD will not reply to an email unless you give all your details and they want to check if you are a constituent.
Click to expand...

Interesting one - I emailed a TD who is 250 miles from where I live - he replied (or his office did) on a mail thread lasting about 3 or 4 replies - I was very impressed.
 
NOAH said:
What is the next step?
noah
Click to expand...

TD can get a large amount of correspondence and some of the queries are not easily answered. If the TD is not a minister, there is a good chance that he will hold clinics regularly. Go to one of them.
 
Yep, we don't expect the ministers to hold clinics, too busy
Though Willie O'Dea spent more time in Limerick then Dublin

Just send some of the money and projects to our area ;)

Alan Kelly, junior minister for transport has found the money for road improvements, a new bridge across the Shannon between Tipp and Clare and a new train service from Nenagh
Thanks Alan :)
He hasn't forgotten the people who put him there
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top