Frequently Asked Questions
What do Government Ministers do?
Each Minister is given a portfolio which gives him/her responsibility for a specific Department. In addition to having responsibility for their own Departments, Government Ministers are collectively responsible for all Departments. If a Minister is absent or indisposed for a given time, his/her responsibilities are given to another Minister, the Departments of Justice and Finance would be assigned to the Taoiseach in this situation. The Tánaiste acts in place of the Taoiseach during his absence.
The Taoiseach can reshuffle portfolios during the Governments term of office, titles and functions of Departments can also be changed. Ministers can attend and address both the Dáil and Seanad. If the Taoiseach resigns from office, Ministers are also deemed to have resigned, however the carry on their duties until their successors are appointed. Ministers of State assist Government Ministers in Parliamentary and departmental work. They are appointed by Government on the nomination of the Taoiseach. The maximum number of Ministers of State is seventeen.
What is the Cabinet?
The Government is referred to as the Cabinet. It consists of not less than seven and not more than fifteen members. Matters discussed at Cabinet Meetings are confidential unless the High Court determines otherwise.
What is the Oireachtas?
The Oireachtas is Irelands national parliament. It consists of the President and two Houses, Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann. No person can be a member of both Houses at the same time. Sittings of each House are public except where emergency meetings are called and with majority agreement, these sit in private.
What is the Dáil?
Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives) normally meets on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday, it can also have special sitting days. The work of the Dáil is concerned with debating social,economic, financial and budgetary matters. Its members draft, amend, vote on and examine proposals for new legislation, debate Bills and issues that are important to the country. The members are called Teactaí Dála (plural) and Teachta Dála, ( singular), T.D.s for short. Currently the Dáil has 166 members. Dáil Éireann has its own Committee system which advices on legislation, economic and financial business. The Chairman of the Dáil is called the Ceann Comhairle, the Deputy Chairman is the Leas-Ceann Comhairle.
What does TD mean ?
A Teachta Dála (TD) ,Irish for Dáil Deputy, pronounced "chock-ta dawla" is a member of Dáil Éireann
The initials "TD" are placed after the surname of the elected TD. For example, the current Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is referred to as "Eamon Ryan, T.D.". The style used to refer to individual TDs during debates in Dáil Éireann is the member's name preceded by Deputy (or an Teachta in Irish): for example, "Deputy Ryan", "an Teachta Ó Riain".