TDs that tweet – who, when and how

In an unexpected follow-up to last night’s post about tweeting MPs and MLAs … When they’re not in the Dáil or attending wake houses working on constituency issues, many TDs are busy twiddling their thumbs tweeting. Earlier today Eamonn Bell published an infographic that summarises the messaging habits of TDs. Eamonn’s number crunching (at the bottom of the infographic) goes beyond mere adoption figures and points to how TDs are exploiting the service (levels of retweets and use of hashtags) …

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Dail Expenses: So can a TD claim parliamentary expenses to help run a political campaign?

There’s been a fascinating twist in the TDs expenses story. Yesterday it seemed that three Socialist Party TDs were in hot water when they admitted they had used travel expenses to pay for their travel during their campaign against the Household Charge.  Today it may be the Oireachtas Commission which has the greater difficulties to face in explaining just what is hard and fast about its rules, and what might be ‘open to negotiation interpretation’. The Indo reports: THE entire …

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How Sinn Fein pays for its large party structure out of public money…

Interesting coda to Sinn Fein’s last minute fall off the high wire at Dublin’s High Court. It looks like the Referendum Commission is not going to let it lie and are chasing Pearse Doherty for costs. The Irish Times reports: The Referendum Commission has argued before the High Court it was “inconceivable” that Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty remained unaware of a second statement it issued concerning Ireland’s veto over the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary …

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