Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 68: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of occasions on which election observers from here were invited to be present on constitutional referenda and general elections in different countries; the number of occasions on which such invitations were accepted and current invitations are being considered. [33488/05]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the manner in which a request for election observers for international referenda and elections are processed and in particular, the number of Irish parliamentarians who, in the past ten years, have performed this function; if he foresees any changes in the procedures governing these duties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33489/05]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 69 together.

The Government responds to requests to participate in constitutional referendums and election observation missions in a positive manner and ensures, where possible, that Irish representatives are included in such missions. Over the past ten years, Ireland has been invited to send observers to approximately 150 missions and has participated in over 80 missions involving more than 610 observers, of whom at least 25 were political representatives.

Irish parliamentarians have played an important role in election and constitutional referenda missions organised by such bodies as the European Union, the Council of Europe, the European Parliamentarians for Africa and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE. Elected representatives bring valuable insights and experience to the work of observer missions. However, the availability of serving Oireachtas Members is constrained when either or both Houses are in session.

The Department of Foreign Affairs assumed direct responsibility for election observation missions from the Agency for Personal Service Overseas, APSO, on 1 January 2004. Since then, we have taken a proactive approach to the involvement of Irish parliamentarians, former and present, in observer missions funded by the Department.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, wrote to the Ceann Comhairle at the beginning of this year, inviting all Oireachtas members to become more involved in observation missions. In 2005, we have been invited to participate in 16 missions and have accepted 12 invitations. To date, we have posted 51 election observers of whom eight were parliamentarians, past or present. In this regard, I was particularly pleased to see that former Member of the European Parliament, Mr. John Cushnahan, is to lead the European Union election observation mission to Sri Lanka. Invitations to take part in the forthcoming missions in Kazakhstan and Venezuela are under consideration and are being looked at with a view to making a positive response. We intend to continue to take a positive approach to having an Irish presence in monitoring missions, where and whenever possible, including an active role by parliamentarians.