Madam, - The recent intervention by the Taoiseach over the Roscommon quarry exposes the kind of nonsense that goes on in a typical TD's constituency clinic.
Not only does the unfortunate taxpayer directly bear the cost of these clinics, but the workload associated with them is what occupies most of a TD's time. This is the stuff that keeps them so busy that they cannot spare time for longer Dáil sittings.
Remember their howls of pained outrage when the Joe Duffy Show exposed them a couple of months back? Constituency clinics seem to function as Citizens' Advice Bureaux, dealing with medical card applications, planning permissions, public service job applications, and so on. A TD may also canvass for benefits or jobs that people are not entitled to, or help them jump the queue for some benefit.
The legitimate elements of this work could and should be done by local government or social welfare offices. The rest of it simply shouldn't be done.
These clinics serve only one real purpose - to get the TD re-elected. Is that what we're actually paying them to do? - Yours, etc.,
PETER MOLLOY,
Haddington Park,
Glenageary,
Co Dublin.
Madam, - The way in which the Roscommon county manager rebuked the Taoiseach shows clearly that civil servants are not intimidated by politicians at any level.
One of the subsidiary functions of our democratically elected representatives is to make representations on behalf of their constituents. In theory this should not be necessary, but in practice it is often an important means by which citizens can attempt to get justice in a particular situation, or to vent their frustrations.
In recent years the State has established many agencies which are not directly responsible to the Government, in order to correct weaknesses, close loopholes, improve controls or stop abuses. In some cases these agencies have been granted plenary or even draconian powers in order to achieve their objectives.
Often functionaries of these agencies are empowered to make subjective judgements on questions which could be matters of opinion. Occasionally the exercise of this kind of authority could prevent entrepreneurs from taking progressive initiatives which are in the public interests.
The office of the ombudsman is specifically prevented from being involved in certain activities such as "planning" matters. In the way in which the planning system has evolved a very powerful structure now exists including planners, An Taisce and An Bord Pleanála, which operates completely outside the democratic processes. In these cases the only recourse of the citizen is to look for assistance from elected representatives - at as high a level as possible.
Where humanitarian grounds are involved, as in the case in question, the politician is entitled to make representations on behalf of the citizen. - Yours, etc.,
CATHAL Mac GABHANN,
Na Fabhraí Maola Thoir,
Bearna,
Gaillimh.