Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 May 2001

Vol. 537 No. 2

Written Answers. - Albanian Elections.

Phil Hogan

Question:

124 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has been asked to provide monitors for the forthcoming elections in Albania; the number of monitors requested; the method of selection of monitors; the remuneration to be offered to monitors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15713/01]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights – ODIHR – is the institution within the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe – OSCE – responsible for the organisation of election observation missions in Europe. On 9 May ODIHR sent out a request to all participating OSCE member states for 18 long-term observers and 150 short-term observers as staff for the election observation mission for the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Albania, to be held on 24 June 2001.

In line with Ireland's joint commitment, together with other member states of the European Union and the OSCE, to supporting newly democratic states and in line with our practice of ensuring participation by Irish personnel in recent election observation missions in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia, Ireland will be sending five short-term observers to take part in this mission.

In accordance with standard practice, these observers will be nominated by the Agency for Personnel Services Overseas – APSO – which is an autonomous body operating as part of Ireland's overseas development assistance programme and funded from Ireland's bilateral aid allocation. APSO selects election observers for each mission from a register of suitable and avail able candidates which it maintains. Criteria applied include relevant experience, the area to be monitored and gender balance.

Observers receive no remuneration but are provided with sufficient funds to cover the cost of return flights to Albania, hotel accommodation while there, payment of drivers and interpreters and subsistence expenses. An indicative estimate of total costs per observer has not yet been received from ODIHR but is expected to be in the region of IR£1,200.

In response to a specific request from ODIHR, Ireland will also be providing part of the funding for the deployment of an Irish expert as security advisor to the election observer mission.