Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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214. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the UK Government is part funding an election observation mission to Somaliland to observe that country's presidential election on 13 November 2017; if funding options and other supports will be examined to enable Irish persons participate in that election observation mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41780/17]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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International election monitoring missions play an important role in the promotion of democracy and human rights. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade maintains a roster of election observers for such missions. Irish observers participate primarily in missions organised by the European Union and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). My Department is aware that the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office is funding the Bartlett Development Planning Unit of the University College London to lead an Election Observation Mission to the Somaliland Presidential Election scheduled to take place on the 13 November 2017.

Somaliland, in the north of Somalia, declared independence in 1991, but has not been recognised by any country to date. The Federal Government of Somalia considers Somaliland as a federal member state. Ireland, in common with our EU partners, the UN and the African Union, considers Somaliland to be a region of Somalia, with a special autonomous status.

The Department deploys members of the election roster in response to calls from the EU and OSCE and this is the only means by which we provide a structure to support Irish Election Observers. A number of independent organisations, as in this case, also deploy monitors to observe elections throughout the world and the Department is aware of a number of Irish nationals who have deployed on such missions. These individuals can avail of consular advice and assistance but would not be eligible for the supports including payment of travel and subsistence costs which are only paid to members of the election roster who have being selected by the Department to deploy on missions.