Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

None of us needs to be reminded of the appalling unemployment figures that were inherited from the previous Administration and with which the Government continues to grapple. In that context, it makes sense to award any State work available, where possible, to people on the live register. While I accept the guidelines issued by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to returning officers throughout the country advise that consideration be given to unemployed people, it is clear from past experience that these guidelines, weak as they are, are being largely ignored and flouted.

Many of our returning officers have not even set up websites, although there is a common website format available to them. Of those who have, only a few have application forms available for election work. To my knowledge, none of these returning officers has made any attempt to advertise the fact that people can apply for these jobs. If a person is motivated enough to find these secret jobs, what happens next? The applicant fills in a form which asks for contact details and a personal public service, PPS, number. The only other information actively sought is an applicant's current employment status and whether they have worked previously in the role. There is a blank section to fill in other details but the form does not specifically ask about work experience, qualifications, information technology skills, administration skills and so forth. Why would our returning officers not seek this information from prospective employees?

I believe this so-called application process is largely a worthless and cosmetic exercise and that the jobs will be filled the same way they always have been, from the ranks of retired civil servants and the student children of those who are in the know. I do not believe I am being cynical in saying this. At least the returning officer in Wicklow, for example, is honest enough not even to pay lip service to this farce. A message on the Wicklow website about the employment of polling and count staff, dated 20 September 2012, states:

All jobs are offered first to people who have worked successfully with me in the past. Due to a nationwide revision of the number of voters assigned to each polling station, there will be fewer stations in this constituency for future polls. There are fewer jobs available and a surplus of experienced staff. For the moment, therefore, I will not be accepting any new applications.

This is a disgrace and must be rectified. The generous payment on offer to polling clerks and count centre officials could make a difference to a child's Christmas for an unemployed family, whereas for a retired civil servant on a State pension it means Christmas in Lanzarote. I know which I would prefer to prioritise and I hope the Minister will agree with me and introduce transparent and rigorously enforced requirements for the hiring of election staff, beginning with the forthcoming referendum.

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