Vol. 440 No. 4
89 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the criteria in the selection of monitors for South Africa recruited by APSO; the places in which the positions are advertised; the cost, if any to the Irish taxpayer; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The European Council of Ministers decided on 6 December that the European Union would send a European Union observer mission to South Africa to observe the elections there on 27 April. Each EU member state as well as the European Commission was asked to supply 24 observers to the joint mission. Ireland is doing so.
The Irish team of observers comprises 11 members of the Oireachtas, the chairman of the Irish anti-apartheid movement, eight individuals recommend by APSO and four selected from central and local Government. My Department is providing £200,000 to cover the total estimated expenditure involved.
My Department invited APSO to nominate eight individuals from its register. As one of its central functions, APSO maintains a register of people interested in and available for overseas work. It is open to interested individuals to apply to APSO to include their names and curriculum vitae on APSO's register.
Amongst the criteria used in selecting individuals to serve as observers were: familiarity with the political situation in Southern Africa; election experience; availability at short notice; willingness to work in the conditions prevailing in South Africa and, where possible, previous work experience in a developing country.
