TDs' and Senators' expenses

I've just learned that many people give their passport application to their local TD as a matter of course, not necessarily because its an emergency. TDs are delivery boys rather than An Post!

Medical Cards - many older people have a real fear of officialdom. Many have literacy problems so any sort of form filling is daunting.
This points to problems within the system of being unable to deal with exceptional cases.

Rather than go to a TD, there needs to be a citizens advocate within the system. Some one who makes sure that people have all that they are entitled to and have it clearly explained what that is. e.g. Some older people won't put on heating at home because of expense but are not aware of household benefits package.

If a TD needs to get involved, it points to failure of public service.Metrics should be collected on these failures and then systematically addressed. Its called continuous process improvement.

It would mean change in public services and free up TDs time - neither group are interested in that.

D8Lady said:

Medical Cards - many older people have a real fear of officialdom. Many have literacy problems so any sort of form filling is daunting.
This points to problems within the system of being unable to deal with exceptional cases.

Rather than go to a TD, there needs to be a citizens advocate within the system. Some one who makes sure that people have all that they are entitled to and have it clearly explained what that is. e.g. Some older people won't put on heating at home because of expense but are not aware of household benefits package.

If a TD needs to get involved, it points to failure of public service.Metrics should be collected on these failures and then systematically addressed. Its called continuous process improvement.

It would mean change in public services and free up TDs time - neither group are interested in that.

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This service already exists - from the Citizens Information Board - see http://www.ciboard.ie/.

They fund the local Citizens INformation Centres (CICs) which will help people to get their entitlements and will help people with form-filling etc. However, many Irish people seem to prefer to think that they are 'pulling a stroke' by bypassing the system and getting their TD involved, rather than just getting their entitlements.

Complainer said:

The solution to this bit is to publish all expenses information as a matter of routine, so the FOI requests go away.

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I think one of the new provisions is that the expenses will be published each month. Good move, though it depends on the extent of the information made public.

Complainer said:

However, many Irish people seem to prefer to think that they are 'pulling a stroke' by bypassing the system and getting their TD involved, rather than just getting their entitlements.

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And if their TD told them to go to CICs, then they'd be the worst in the world & no votes next time...vicious circle ...I give up...