Teachta Dála
From Free net encyclopedia
A Teachta Dála (TD) (Irish for Dáil Deputy, pronounced "chock-ta dawla") is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Oireachtas ("National Parliament") of the Republic of Ireland.
The term was first used to describe those Members of Parliament (MPs) from the island of Ireland elected in the 1918 general election who instead of attending the Westminster House of Commons, to which they had been elected, assembled instead in Dublin to create a new Irish parliament, Dáil Éireann. The term continued to be used after this "First Dáil" and was used to refer to later members of the Irish Republic's single chamber Dáil Éireann (or "Assembly of Ireland") (1919-1922), members of Dáil Éireann (or "Chamber of Deputies") of the Irish Free State and the Dáil Éireann (or the "House of Representatives") of Ireland.
Style
The initials "TD" are placed after the surname of the elected TD. For example, the current Taoiseach (prime minister) is referred to as "Bertie Ahern, TD". 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 Quinn", "an Teachta Carey".