Pádraig Rice: Dáil must become a better workplace to truly represent Ireland

A little under four months into the 34th Dáil, first-time TD Pádraig Rice reflects on the chamber's composition, its workload, and its long paralysis due to the speaking rights row

'Why is the Dáil chamber so often empty?' That's one of the questions constituents ask first-time TD Pádraig Rice. Stock picture

The first four months of the new Dáil have been turbulent, tense, and testing. They have also been eye-opening.

High expectations of making progress on behalf of the people have been dented by a dominant political class who are determined to choke the political system for their own political gain.