Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2013
785. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government following the recent by-election in Meath East, the steps he took to reserving polling station and count staff positions for those on the live register where practicable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16596/13]
View answer786. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government following the recent by-election in Meath East, if he will outline the requirements in respect of the advertising of polling station and count staff positions in advance of each election; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16597/13]
View answer787. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government following the recent by-election in Meath East, the number of the persons employed in the following roles in the by-election who were immediately previously unemployed or on the live register: Special Presiding Officers, Presiding Officers, Supervisory Presiding Officers and Area Inspectors, Poll Clerks, Count Supervisors, Count Calculators and Counters. [16598/13]
View answer788. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government following the recent by-election in Meath East, if he will provide the number of the persons employed in the following roles in the by-election, and the average remuneration provided: Special Presiding Officers, Presiding Officers, Supervisory Presiding Officers and Area Inspectors, Poll Clerks, Count Supervisors, Count Calculators and Counters. [16599/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 785 to 788, inclusive, together.
The primary role of my Department in electoral matters is to provide an appropriate policy and legislative framework for a modern and efficient electoral system. Within that framework, local returning officers are responsible for all matters in connection with the actual conduct of elections and referendums, including the selection and appointment of polling station and count staff in accordance with the relevant provisions of electoral law. Accordingly, there is no information in my Department about the staff employed at the recent Meath East bye-election. Information regarding the remuneration of those employed at the bye-election is set out in the Returning Officer’s Charges Order made by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
The guidance issued by my Department to returning officers in advance of each election and referendum, including the Meath East bye-election, emphasises that the smooth conduct of polls is dependent on maintaining a cadre of sufficiently skilled and experienced people. Having regard to that overall objective, returning officers are advised to employ competent and efficient persons as polling staff and asked to give consideration, where possible, to employing suitable persons who are unemployed.
In addition, at my request, my Department wrote to each Returning Officer on 4 October 2012, advising that, wherever practicable, the opportunity should be taken to employ unemployed persons at polling stations and in carrying out the subsequent counting of votes at elections and referendums so as to provide opportunity for work experience to unemployed persons. I believe that this should apply particularly in relation to the Polling Clerk position, where the responsibilities of the post can be fulfilled under the guidance of the Presiding Officer.
