I propose to take Questions Nos. 389 and 390 together.
The rates of pay for those taking the polls and counting the votes are laid out in the charges order approved by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in advance of each election or referendum event. The order details the basic rate and the rate for each additional hour worked. The rate varies if a number of polls are involved in the election event. The average amounts paid to each person for the three events specified are detailed in the following table, based on expected hours worked (per day in the case of counting staff). In line with Government policy on reducing expenditure, rates of remuneration have been reduced over the last number of events, as reflected in the data for the total costs of polling and counting staff.
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|
Hours
|
Euro/Local 2009
|
Lisbon (2) 2009
|
General Election 2011
|
Special Presiding Officers
|
12
|
€563.09
|
€485
|
€427.02
|
Presiding Officers
|
16
|
€621.94
|
€537
|
€471.64
|
Supervisory Presiding Officers & Area Inspectors
|
16
|
€735.03
|
€635
|
€557.37
|
Poll Clerks
|
16
|
€484.61
|
€420
|
€367.50
|
(i) Count Supervisors
|
12
|
€525.03
|
€455
|
€398.13
|
(i) Count Calculators
|
12
|
€444.27
|
€385
|
€336.88
|
(i) Counters
|
12
|
€346.17
|
€300
|
€262.50
|
The total cost for polling and counting staff is included in the following table:
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|
Euro/Local 2009
|
Lisbon(2) 2009
|
General Election 2011
|
Polling Staff
|
€8.016 million
|
€6.734 million
|
€5.977 million
|
Count Staff
|
€1.638 million
|
€0.835 million
|
€1.588 million
|