Dáil debates

Tuesday, 2 October 2012

Topical Issue Debate

Election Management System

5:45 pm

Photo of Gerald NashGerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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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.

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Nash for raising this important issue. The primary role of my Department in electoral matters is to provide an appropriate policy and legislative framework for a modern and efficient electoral system. Within that framework, local returning officers are responsible for all matters in connection with the actual conduct of elections and referenda, including the selection, appointment and training of polling station staff in accordance with the relevant provisions of electoral law. To assist returning officers, the Department issues guidance to them in advance of each election and referendum. In that guidance, it is emphasised that the smooth conduct of polls is dependent on maintaining a cadre of sufficiently skilled and experienced people. Having regard to the overall objective of the smooth conduct of the polls, returning officers are advised to employ competent and efficient persons as polling staff. They are also asked to give consideration, wherever possible, to employing suitable persons who are unemployed.

The approach taken in the Department's guidance strikes the right balance. However, I agree with Deputy Nash that it might not always have been the case that it was implemented in the spirit in which the guidance was issued to the returning officers. There are competent unemployed individuals who could, with appropriate training, undertake duties in the conduct of polls.

It would, however, be unwise to dispense entirely with the experience of some staff who are needed, particularly in large polling stations for supervision purposes, but there are positions such as poll clerk that could easily be assigned for electoral purposes in each polling station.

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government issues a manual for presiding officers at each election and referendum. Local returning officers supplement this with appropriate training to ensure that all staff are familiar with their tasks and responsibilities but I will take this opportunity after Deputy Nash has raised this issue to contact returning officers again this week to emphasise the importance at this difficult time for families and individuals who are unemployed and to remind them of their duty, as laid out in the guidelines, to employ suitable people who are currently unemployed.

5:55 pm

Photo of Gerald NashGerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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I thank the Minister for his comprehensive outline of the situation. I am pleased he has taken the opportunity at this juncture to remind returning officers of their responsibilities. We are in a time of national crisis and we as Government have always attempted to prioritise the needs of the unemployed or underemployed. As I said earlier, €400 would mean a world of difference to those experiencing unemployment. It would help to pay the mortgage or for groceries and bills. We must use every opportunity and tool at our disposal to ensure those who are unemployed get the opportunity to earn a few extra euro to help with those bills in these difficult circumstances.

We all appreciate the work carried out by polling clerks and count centre staff. It is critical to the democratic process and electoral system and I thank those who assist in my constituency on a regular basis. Now, however, is a time of national crisis and we must use every tool at our disposal to ensure those who require support get it. The training is rudimentary but those who go through it gain a lot from it, along with access to local authority staff and returning officers. It gives them a unique opportunity to engage in the democratic system so it is vital we use every tool at our disposal to ensure returning officers in the upcoming referendum on 10 November, in so far as is practicable, employ as many people from the live register as possible and at subsequent polls.

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I agree with Deputy Nash that this is a time national crisis and there are many competent people who are unemployed. I will get a report from returning officers after the referendum to establish if they made the necessary efforts under the departmental guidance and employed as many people as possible who are currently unemployed, particularly as poll clerks. I understand the presiding officer must have a greater level of training and supervisory experience to run a poll smoothly but the post of poll clerk does not require a lot of training and the responsibilities of the post can be fulfilled under the guidance of the presiding officer. If regulations are required in future to ensure the guidance document is fully implemented, I will consider that.