Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2021
131. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of former Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas nominated to participate in election observation missions from the election observation roster over the past ten years who were former members at the time of their nomination; the name of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33881/21]
View answer135. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the objective criteria for nomination to participate in election observation missions from the election observation roster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33880/21]
View answer158. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of different persons who have been on the election observation roster to be eligible for nomination to participate in election observation missions over the past ten years; the number of missions each person was nominated to participate in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33879/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 131, 135 and 158 together.
The Department of Foreign Affairs administers and maintains a roster of suitably skilled volunteers, who are available to participate in international election observation organised, in the main, by the European Union (EU) and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
For information on the selection process for the current election observation roster, I refer the Deputy to the Information Note on the election roster prepared for the Joint Committee of the Oireachtas on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence available on the Irish Aid website www.irishaid.ie/media/irishaid/getinvolved/electionroster/Election-Observation-Roster-Briefing-Note-May-2019.pdf ; and the Composite Response to queries and observations received following the mustering of the election observation roster, also available on the Irish Aid website. www.irishaid.ie/media/irishaid/getinvolved/electionroster/Composite-Response.pdf . Detailed information on election observation is also available on the Irish Aid website, including the numbers deployed on missions in 2019 and 2020 and cost of flights and flight emissions.
With regard to previous roster members selected by the EU or the OSCE for election monitoring missions over the past ten years, I refer the Deputy to the response to Parliamentary Questions 115, 117, 119 and 126 of 5 March 2019 which provides a comprehensive list of roster members deployed on missions from 2009 – 2018. Election Monitoring Missions – Tuesday, 5 Mar 2019 – Parliamentary Questions (32nd Dáil) – Houses of the Oireachtas
A list of the current roster members, including those who have been elected in national level elections, can be found in the documents attached to the answer to this Parliamentary Question.
As the 2019-2023 roster exists within the framework of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Department gave careful thought to the justification, and the legal basis, for publishing the names of roster members. The roster is voluntary with no guarantee of mission participation and so the Department considers it proportionate and reasonable to provide anonymised information on individual missions. While names of observers are provided in (Surname/Initial) format, they are not linked to particular missions, minimising the release of personal data to what is reasonable, necessary and proportionate to demonstrate accountability and transparency in roster administration. This information is included in the data privacy notice for the roster.
Due to COVID-19 we do not currently have access to the physical files containing detailed information on previous rosters, including, where available, whether volunteers were also, at a certain point, members of the Oireachtas.
