TD (parliament)
A TD or Teachta DÃÂála (pronounced 'chock-ta dawla') is a member of DÃÂáil ÃÂÃÂireann, the lower chamber of the Irish Oireachtas (pronounced 'orr-och-tas') or National Parliament. Teachta DÃÂála translates as DÃÂáil Deputy in the English Language.The term was first used to describe those Irish MPss elected in the 1918 general election from the island of Ireland 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, DÃÂáil ÃÂÃÂireann. The initials T.D. are placed after the surname of the TD elected. For example, the current Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) is referred to as 'Bertie Ahern, TD'. The style used to refer to individual TDs during debates in DÃÂáil ÃÂÃÂireann is the member's name preceded by 'Deputy' (or 'an Teachta' in Irish): for example, Deputy Quinn, an Teachta Carey.
The initials TD have been used to refer to members of every Irish parliament since that First DÃÂáil assembled in 1919. It was used to refer to members of the Irish Republic's single chamber DÃÂáil ÃÂÃÂireann (translated as the 'Assembly of Ireland') (1919-1922), members of DÃÂáil ÃÂÃÂireann (translated as 'Chamber of Deputies') during the Irish Free State (1922-1937) and the DÃÂáil ÃÂÃÂireann (translated as the 'House of Representatives') of ÃÂÃÂire (1937-present) and the Republic of Ireland.
(See DÃÂáil ÃÂÃÂireann for additional information on the election system and current composition of the house.)