Ireland's current International Election Observation Roster, which is facilitated by the Department of Foreign Affairs, is effective as of 1 January 2019 and will run through 2023. Roster members were selected on the basis of an open competitive application process in 2018. This process has ensured that 1) there is a suitably skilled, trained and security-vetted pool of volunteers who are available to participate in certain election observation missions (EOMs), which can arise at short notice; and 2) there is greater efficiency, as EOM calls are circulated to roster members who are pre-vetted and responsible for ensuring their online profiles with the EU and OSCE are correctly maintained as required. The roster consists of 199 volunteers and thus there is a large pool of high-calibre election observers available for nomination to international election observation missions (EOMs) organised by the EU and OSCE. By way of context, the average number of roster members participating in missions annually is fewer than 60. The number of volunteers on the roster compared to the number required annually allows for a sufficiently wide distribution of nominations among suitably qualified and vetted individuals over the lifetime of the roster, subject to fulfillment of any particular requirements set by the sending agencies (EU/OSCE). Nominating countries to international observation missions, including EU countries, follow a range of different modalities in managing their own rosters, which is a matter for each member State to decide on for themselves.
The Evaluation and Audit Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs has conducted a review, with independent input, of the International Election Observation Roster. That review will be presented to the Department’s Independent Audit Committee at one of their regular meetings and subsequently published and we will be happy to provide a copy to the Deputy upon publication.
The duration of the roster is one aspect considered in this review. While it is possible to reduce the duration of the roster this would also, logically, lead to a reduction in the membership of the roster which would reduce opportunities available to volunteers interested in applying for the next mustering. More frequent musterings would also generate increased overheads and opportunity costs to my Department, which would have to be weighed in the balance of any decision.
Ireland has not nominated observers to participate in international election observation missions (EOMs) of the OSCE/ODIHR and EU since March 2020. The decision not to nominate volunteers for EOMs was made on foot of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of measures to combat this unprecedented global public health emergency. The basis for the decision has been outlined in detail in response to Parliamentary Questions No. 396 of 6 October, No. 158 of 15 October, No. 655 of 3 November and No. 400 of 10 November. As detailed, the decision is based chiefly on considerations for the health and safety of all concerned. Factors taken into account include public health measures and overseas travel advice in Ireland; the COVID-19 incidence rate in Ireland and abroad; and the risk of observers being exposed and/or exposing others to COVID-19 through a) international travel, b) extensive in-country travel, c) close contact with residents as well as election observers from other countries, and d) contact with family and others on return to Ireland.
Furthermore, during the same period the OSCE suspended standard EOMs due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. An OSCE EOM to North Macedonia, which had commenced activities on 1 March 2020, was suspended due to the global health emergency and all election observation personnel already in place were withdrawn. Subsequently, the OSCE requested nominations for short-term observers (STOs) for elections in Montenegro, Ukraine, Georgia and Republic of Moldova but due to public health reasons reconstituted the missions as a Limited Election Observation Missions (LEOM). Department of Foreign Affairs officials continue to monitor and evaluate EOM requests as they arise in line with the very many health and safety factors to be taken into account, as outlined above.
As stated in the response to Parliamentary Question No. 400 of 3 November, the Department of Foreign Affairs, along with other concerned Departments and public bodies, participates in the COVID-19 Senior Officials' Group coordinated by Department of An Taoiseach. This working group is concerned with ensuring the operation and services of Departments and public bodies are aligned with the COVID-19 (Level 5) framework currently in place. In the event that the possibility of resuming nomination to international election observation missions is likely, that Group would be the proper forum for broader consultation to consider the risks to public health as outlined above.
