Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 7 September 2018
69. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of applications by gender that were received by the closing deadline to join the 2018 election observation roster; the number of late applications that were received; if they have been admitted to the selection process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36786/18]
View answer70. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the date and reason it was decided not to proceed with the original plan to have merit-based interviews to select applicants for the 2018 election observation roster; the name, expertise and qualifications of the three assessors appointed to select the election observers; the methods that will be used to select the most meritorious applicants; if this will involve language testing in cases in which an applicant claims to have a high level of foreign language proficiency; if there are measures in place to ensure members of the 2013 roster are not unfairly favoured over newer applicants; when the assessment will be conducted; when applicants will be informed of the outcome of their applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36787/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 70 together.
I refer the Deputy to the responses to previous parliamentary questions on these matters, Questions 103 and 104 of 24 July 2018, Questions 57 and 58 of 03 July 2018, Question 107 of 24 April 2018, Question 16 of 25 January 2018.
International election monitoring missions play an important role in the promotion of democracy and human rights. We aim to ensure that, when requested, Ireland is represented at an appropriate level on international observation missions for elections and constitutional referendums. Irish observers participate primarily in missions organised by the European Union or the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The call for applications to establish a new Election Observation roster was issued on 2 July last and the call was open until 20 August 2018. Late applications were not accepted. The call was published on two Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade websites: www.dfa.ie and www.irishaid.ie. It was also publicised on social media.
As the closing date for submission of applications has only recently passed and as applications are still being verified and screened, it would not be appropriate for the Department to provide details on the applications until the selection process is completed and the roster established.
The candidate information booklet which was provided to all applicants and also published on the Departments website set out all of the necessary details about the operation of the roster, the eligibility requirements, criteria and the process and methodology leading to the establishment of the roster.
In the interests of an efficient process, and taking into account manifold other demands on staff, including the continuing prudential management of Irish Aid funding, it was decided that the assessment of applications to join the new Election Observation Roster should be a paper-based exercise. While interviews had been considered, they are now not planned. This rationale was set in the letter of 9 July 2018 from the Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, available on the Oireachtas website.
A number of selection panels will be established to appraise all of the applications that meet the essential criteria. The selection panels will consist of two officers from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and one external person who will have appropriate experience. Panel members will receive application assessment and unconscious bias training. All panel members will be obliged to disclose any potential conflict of interest. If such an interest is notified, appropriate safeguards will be implemented. A calibration exercise will be conducted to ensure consistency. All applicants will be appraised on the basis of the information contained and set out on the official application form. Verification of data contained in the application, including language proficiency, will also form part of the process.
All applicants seeking to join the election roster will be appraised against the criteria set out in the Volunteer Information Booklet. Further, all applicants will be treated in exactly the same way regardless of whether they have been on a previous roster. The current roster will be extinguished once the new roster is formally established. The key objective is to generate a sufficient cadre of available, qualified volunteers which can meet the needs of election observation missions, as the EU and OSCE require, and which evolve over time.
It is expected that the process to establish the new roster will be finalised by the end of 2018.
