Electoral Change & Irish Representative Politics: An Emerging New Type of TD

• In Event: Political Studies Association of Ireland

Abstract

The classic conception of a TD is of an elected representative whose primary focus was on constituency service; legislative work was seen as a distant second to their main role so famously described by Chubb as ‘going around persecuting civil servants’. Different explanations were generally given for this style of political representation ranging from a localist political culture, the preferential electoral system, the ‘puny’ Dáil, or the weakness of local government and a poor public service interface.

Ireland has seen dramatic changes over the past few decades, including major social and economic transformations, an ambitious digital drive in the public-citizen interface, extensive Dáil reform (plus the impact that the pandemic had on modes of operation). But most significant of all has been dramatic electoral change, with a plethora of new political forces entering the political mix, and the collapse of the old ‘two-and-a-half’ party system. Electoral change has impacted on party politics in Ireland, but how might it also have impacted on representative politics?

By comparing the responses to two surveys of TDs in 2010 and 2023 – over a decade apart – the paper provides evidence of significant shifts in the representative behaviour of contemporary TDs, notably in terms of their constituency focus (the amount, but also the nature of it), their work in parliamentary committees, and their willingness to abide by party rules. Cross-sectional analysis of the 2023 survey data reveals that, for the most part, the changes are mediated by party status: specifically it is the TDs elected in new parties that are manifesting notable differences from TDs in established parties. We discuss the implications of this for the nature of parliamentary democracy that is emerging in 21st century Ireland.

Authors

• David M. Farrell, University College Dublin

• Luke Field, University of Iceland

• Shane Martin, University of Essex