Sir, - In 1997 the Dail sat for 81 days. For their labours TDs received £24,000 each in salaries and averaged £20,000 in unvouched expenses. This works out at an average of £760.65 a day.Last year in the German Bundestag, German deputies sat for 140 days. In the US House of Representatives the elected members work for two to seven days a week and often sit over weekends. In 1997 the House was in session for 134 days. At Westminster MPs sat for 125 days in 1997.The Dail's workload compares unfavourably with most parliaments in the Western world. - Yours, etc.,Michael ColleyUpper Churchtown Road,Dublin 14.