Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 February 2024
52. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when election monitors from Ireland last attended a mission in Türkiye; if Irish election monitors will be taking part in a mission to Turkey regarding the 2024 local elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6934/24]
View answerThe Department of Foreign Affairs maintains and administers a voluntary roster of suitably skilled and vetted individuals who are available to participate at short notice in election observation missions organised by the European Union and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Ireland's current five-year international Election Observation Roster was established on 1 January 2024 and has 173 members.
Short term observers generally spend up to eight days in the country where the election is being held and long term observers can spend up to eight weeks. The number of deployments fluctuates annually, depending on the number of applications received and the selection decisions of the EU and OSCE.
Six members of Ireland's previous international Election Observation Roster participated in an OSCE mission to Türkiye in April and May 2023. The OSCE has still to confirm the deployment of a mission to observe the upcoming Local Elections, scheduled for 31 March 2024.
