'Overwhelmed' TDs to get help from €800,000 app

The Houses of the Oireachtas said the new portal would reduce the existing reliance on email for communications and would bring Leinster House in line with other parliaments such as Westminster, the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Almost €800,000 is to be spent on developing a new app that will act as a “digital one-stop shop” to assist TDs and senators with their parliamentary work as they were “overwhelmed” with emails.

The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, which oversees the operation of the Dáil and Seanad, has approved funding for what is being called the “Digital Parliament Members’ Portal.” It is estimated the first phase of the project will cost €781,543.