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Election Monitoring Missions

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 November 2020

Wednesday, 11 November 2020

Questions (113)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

113. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason a desktop exercise was used in respect of the election observer competition in view of the fact that weeks previously Irish Aid stated a rigorous competition was required and promised same to the Oireachtas Committee on Public Accounts, specifically including independent chairmanship, human resources expertise, competitive interviews and so on; if this public competition contained provision for disability on the application form or application process; if disability will be considered as part of the process of appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35685/20]

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Written answers

The Department of Foreign Affairs enables participation by Irish citizens in overseas election observation missions organised by the EU and the OSCE through nomination of volunteers from our Election Observation Roster. The current, five-year roster was established on the basis of an open, competitive application process in 2018, using a competency framework for ranking in line with Public Appointment Service practice. The Roster, which currently has 199 members, came into effect on 1 January 2019 and is set to run through to the end of 2023.

The questions raised here have been comprehensively addressed in the Information Note on the Overseas Election Observation Roster prepared for the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade (JCFATD), which is attached to this response, as well as in the Composite Note published on the election observation pages of the Irish Aid website, also attached to this response. Matters pertaining to the selection process for the 2019-2023 roster, as well as the membership and operation of the roster, have also been addressed in response to Parliamentary Questions No. 16 of 25 January 2018, No. 98 of 28 March 2018, No. 107 of 24 April 2018, No. 60 of 21 June 2018, Nos. 57 and 58 of 3 July 2018, No. 167 of 4 July 2018, Nos. 138 and 149 of 10 July 2018, Nos. 103,104, 105, 106 and 107 of 24 July 2018, Nos. 69 and 70 of 7 September 2018, No. 45 of 20 September 2018, No. 36 of 9 October 2018, No. 43 of 11 October 2018, No. 179 of 23 October 2018, Nos. 151 and 157 of 20 November 2018, No. 74 of 6 December 2018, No. 109 of 19 December 2018, Nos. 59, 60 and 61 of 23 January 2019, No. 120 of 29 January 2019, Nos. 80 and 81 of 30 January 2019, Nos. 146, 147 and 153 of 5 February 2019, Nos. 61 and 65 of 6 February 2019, No. 58 of 7 February 2019, Nos. 124 and 138 of 12 February 2019, No. 71 of 13 February 2019, No. 129 of 19 February 2019, Nos. 100, 105, 108 and 109 of 26 February 2019, Nos. 115, 117, 119 and 126 of 5 March 2019, Nos. 74, 76 and 81 of 6 March 2019, Nos. 59 and 68 of 12 March 2019, No. 114 of 13 March 2019, No. 157 of 26 March 2019, Nos. 81, 85 and 99 of 2 April 2019, No. 115 of 16 April 2019, No. 51 of 18 April 2019, No. 73 of 29 May 2019, Nos. 117 and 119 of 25 June 2019, Nos. 108, 109, 110, 111 and 112 of 10 July 2019, No. 114 of 23 July 2019, Nos. 106 and 124 of 10 December 2019, No. 37 of 5 March 2020, No. 30 of 13 May 2020, No. 21 of 3 June 2020, No. 33 of 16 June 2020, Nos. 338 and 342 of 21 July 2020, No. 453 of 8 September 2020, No. 369 of 15 September 2020, No. 109 of 23 September 2020, No. 396 of 6 October 2020, No. 186 of 13 October, No. 158 of 15 October, and No. 665 of 3 November.

The issue of reasonable accommodation for disabilities as it pertains to the application process for and operation of the Election Observer Roster has been addressed in the responses to Parliamentary Questions No. 60 of 23 January 2019, No. 153 of 5 February 2019, No. 65 of 6 February 2019, No. 58 of 7 February 2019, No. 124 of 12 February 2019, No. 129 of 19 February 2019, Nos. 100 and 105 of 26 February 2019, Nos. 117 and 119 of 5 March 2019, Nos. 74, 76 and 81 of 6 March 2019, No. 68 of 12 March 2019, No. 157 of 26 March 2019, Nos. 117 and 119 of 16 April 2019, No. 73 of 29 May 2019, No. 119 of 25 June 2019, No. 109 of 10 July 2019 and No. 186 of 13 October.

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