Neale Richmond
Question:115. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will be nominating any Irish election observers for the election in Uzbekistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50224/21]
View answerThursday, 14 October 2021
Questions (115)
Written answers
I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question No. 84 of 22 September 2021, Parliamentary Questions No. 303, 304, 305, 310 and 311 of 26 May 2021 and Parliamentary Question No. 777 of 24 March 2021 on international election observation.
The Department of Foreign Affairs facilitates an election observation roster of suitably skilled and vetted volunteers who are available to participate at short notice in election observation missions, organised by the OSCE and EU. The current roster of approximately 199 volunteers is in place since 1 January 2019.
Participation in election observation missions has been challenging due to COVID-19, with the risk profile of missions enhanced due to transit through international airport hubs, extensive in-country travel and interactions with observers from a significant number of other countries. This could potentially expose not only election monitors to the virus, but also those with whom they interact in the host country and when they return home. As such, since March 2020, Ireland has not nominated election observers for EU or OSCE Election Observation Missions.
However, given the re-opening of non-essential international travel and the progress of Ireland’s vaccination programme, my officials have been working to clarify the safe conditions for volunteer election observers before, during and after their participation in election observation missions. This work had not been concluded before the deadline for nomination of observers to Uzbekistan. However, it is now complete and it is my intention to nominate observers to subsequent missions on a case by case basis, subject to adjudication of duty of care.