Election Monitoring Missions

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 November 2020

Thursday, 26 November 2020

Questions (255, 256)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

255. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the right of appeal on grounds of disability in election observation competitions; if he will report on the provision for disability and equality monitoring his Department undertakes for these public competitions; the way in which information on disability is sought in the application form for the competition; the way in which his Department has responded to requests for disability accommodation from observers in the past; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39330/20]

Thomas Pringle

Question:

256. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of persons with disabilities as observers on the roster of election observation competitions; if he will confirm the commitment to support the inclusion of persons with disabilities as observers on the roster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39331/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 255 and 256 together.

I refer the Deputy to the response to Parliamentary Question No. 113 of 11 November, as well as in the Information Note on the Overseas Election Observation Roster prepared for the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade (JCFATD), where these issues have been comprehensively addressed and which is attached to this response, and, further, in the Composite Note published on the election observation pages of the Irish Aid website, also attached to this response.

The issue of reasonable accommodation for disabilities as it pertains to the application process for and operation of the Election Observer Roster has also 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 2020.

The Department of Foreign Affairs holds no record of the number of persons with disabilities on the Election Observer Roster.

1. https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/debates/questions/supportingDocumentation/2019-07-10_pq108-10-7-19_en.pdf

2. https://www.irishaid.ie/media/irishaid/getinvolved/electionroster/Composite-Response.pdf