How British MPs leave TDs in the shade
The Dáil working week is typically Tuesday to Thursday, compared with Monday to Thursday for the Commons, and sometimes they also sit on Fridays.
As an example, from February 24 to April 11 the Commons worked seven five-day weeks in a row. That's right, Monday to Friday for seven weeks in a row.
The mere thought of having to work just one five-day week is likely to give heart attacks to a good many TDs. The Dáil will resume on January 27, the House of Commons on January 5.
Each TD has an average 24,000 constituents, whereas a British MP has 91,000. And for all that work, a TD gets a basic salary of €72,000.
In contrast, a British MP who sits for an extra 60 days, has a longer working week and shorter holidays, has nearly four times the number of constituents and has to travel vastly longer distances gets the sterling equivalent of €80,000 a mere € 8,000 more than our lot.
Jason FitzHarris,
Rivervalley,
Swords,
Co Dublin.
