An attempt to list the home and Dail telephone numbers of members of the Oireachtas in the new Dublin telephone directory failed after only a fraction of the politicians gave their numbers when asked. This is despite the fact that two circulars from the Houses of the Oireachtas invited TDs and senators to submit their details for inclusion in the book.
The new 01 directory, which is being distributed in Dublin, includes phone numbers for fewer than half the TDs - only 67 of the 166 - and for only 20 of the 60 members of the Seanad.
This is the first time the general phone book has listed phone numbers for members of the Oireachtas. These are included in the green pages at the beginning of the directory, which also list numbers for all Government services.
The TDs and senators were asked by the Oireachtas earlier this year if they wanted their numbers published in the directory.
"We contacted all TDs and the numbers of those who had responded by the deadline were put forward," said a spokeswoman for the Houses of the Oireachtas.
The list includes home and/or constituency office phone and fax numbers, Dail numbers and email addresses for TDs from Dublin and around the State.
Those who did not respond or who did not want their numbers published include the Tanaiste, Ms Harney. She is the only party leader whose phone details do not appear. The directory includes a constituency office number and a Dail number for the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and Dail numbers only for the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, and the Labour Party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn.
Other TDs who submitted Dail numbers but no home or constituency office numbers for the list include Mr Eamon Gilmore of Labour, Mr John Gormley of the Green Party, and Ms Frances Fitzgerald, Mr Jim Mitchell and Mr Gay Mitchell of Fine Gael.
Mr Gay Mitchell expressed reservation about including his home number on the list. "I really think people shouldn't ring their TDs at home," he said, although his number is included in the private residential listing section.
Mr Pat Rabbitte, of the Labour Party, who has never been known to shirk communication with anyone, is not included in the list. However, his home number is included among ordinary residential numbers.
Some TDs not on the list said they had no recollection of being asked whether they wanted to be included. "Nobody asked," said the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke. "I'm in the public phone book," she said. "I don't know anything about the list."
Mr Michael D. Higgins, a Labour TD, said it was "appalling" that his name was not on the list. "I don't understand the exclusion," he said. A spokeswoman for Golden Pages, which compiles the book for Telecom Eireann, said it included only information released by the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Despite the poor response from TDs, an Oireachtas spokeswoman said: "In no way would we like the impression to go out that TDs wouldn't like to be contacted."
The Oireachtas would provide phone numbers for any TDs to anyone who requested them, she said. It was believed some TDs and senators had put their numbers forward for inclusion in their local directories, but not for the Dublin book.
