Sir, – I feel Dr Anthony O’Halloran (Opinion, August 10th) should broaden his thoughts on TDs’ constituency activities and in order to help I am setting out two instances that I personally encountered in quite recent times.
The first was a chance meeting with a newly elected deputy queuing to sympathise with a colleague of mine outside a funeral home at about 7.30pm on a wet and cold autumn night. He informed my friend and I that this was his fifth funeral on the day and from his questions on the family of the deceased it was obvious he had no knowledge of them. I wonder how this instance, would rank in importance of constituency work.
The second was an introduction, on the phone, to an opposition spokesman on justice by a local TD. My issue was the late delivery of a Garda notice, which could not then be dealt with directly. My appeal on the grounds that the notice was late was dismissed. I had asked the Garda Ombudsman to look into the matter. It was not within his remit, but he informed me that my case was one of numerous similar ones that had been brought to him. Because of what I regarded as an injustice in the system, I asked the opposition spokesman on justice to see if the system could be rectified. After some discussion he told me that he didn’t have a great interest in the situation as I was not a constituent of his.
In view of the above encounters I find it difficult to agree totally with Dr O’Halloran that constituency work is vital to our democracy. I believe that, like drink, moderation should be exercised. – Yours, etc,
NOEL HORGAN,
Collegeland, Tipperary.